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KK Cie cy ee « é < « OY a r < at < a. |< ¢ ‘ -" « < ar « (C@ < ce € < ‘ , , ; Pa BPetecme Gece COS « Ss SI : ~< cc ¢ « ax « a< * « oo ae < : , “a, |. ra — -_— c "@ -¢ c C < a t KE SOS ES SS cz ee (C4 So COR C EE CET SE LS ane Can Ge: (Game Ze pare ee €OM ¢ i CELA EE OO Oe RE OE: oc CE GEES nd da aca CHE CE CC C<& ic aie a C CE CE CG: ara erat Om; a Pe \) vis: 5 Pm Yui \ = Soe s- ne" oy ah Nin z NRA r x) Ko) a q yas 3) aN ‘ eS = s\ "4 ls iin or Sy = x By ays: e, oY, \ Y ly, x g se N\ : = Neg n x ei aaee | 5 Vp TP ARR il WS Ay Sa ZA xX : LC ak a> sm ve al LONDON: JOHN VAN VOORST, PATERNOSTER ROW. M.DCOCC.LVI. Thanks be to Nature, some green spots remain Free from the tread and stain of that gross world Whose god is commerce, and religion gain— Its altars furnaces, whose smoke is curled Around the very clouds !—Be praise agen To Nature and her God! while some are whirled The dizzy round of joy, and some turn churled Or fever’d from life’s game,—to balm the pain Of a stung heart—still the self-troubled brain— Refine the mind—-silence, if not appease, Pale recollections, memory’s agonies, And throw the load of anxious cares behind, There still are flowery meadows, pathless woods, Groves, hills and yvales, forests and solitudes. WEBBE. CONTENTS. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS. Apams, Artuour, F.L.S. A systematic list of Coleoptera found in the vicinity of Alverstoke, South Hants, 5296 Axtmonp, G. A. Botys Terrealis, 5208 AsHwortdi, Joun S. Reply to Mr. Gregson’s observations at p.5210 of the ‘ Zoologist,’ 5252 Arxkinson, WILLIAM Excrescences on the leaves of wil- lows, 5008 Austin, HENRY Parnassius Apollo at Ealing, 5109 Baixte, W. Batrour, M.D., F.R.G.S. A systematic list of Coleoptera found in the vicinity of Alverstoke, South Hants, 5296 Bairp, SpENCER F. The sea-snake story a fiction, 4998 Baker, WHITMORE Little owl at Maidstone, 5159 Bate, C. SPENCE Antenne of the prawn, 4998 Bates, H. W. Proceedings as a Natural-History collector in foreign countries, 5012 Beate, 8. C. Tress Capture of Pamphila Actezon, &c., at Lulworth Cove, 5071 Bett, Tuomas, F.R.S., &c. Larva of Cerura vinula, 5292 Bineua, S. Surange habit of Lasiocampa Tri- folii, 5207 Bop, THomas JoHN Note on Antherophagus nigricornis and Bombus sylvarum, Query as to the eggs of Agabus, 5003; Capture of Agabus dispar, Cap- ture of and localities for Hydro- porus latus, Steph., 5004; Capture of Nitidula flexuosa in the North of England, Captnre of Alphito- bius picipes at South Shields, 5111; Crossbill breeding in the North of England, 5159 ; Capture of Hydroporus melanarius in Cum- berland, 5214 ; Capture of Ochina Ptinoides in Cumberland, 5215 Borrer, W., JUN. © Capture of Deilephila Galii in Sussex, 5254 Boyp, THomas What is indigenous? 5078 Brees, C. R. The Gonepteryx Rhamni question, 4950; Uncertain dates of the ap- pearance of insects—suggestions for keeping a record of such dates, 5168; Protest against Mr. Stain- ton’s change of names in the British Lepidoptera, 5289 Bree, Rev. Hersert, M.A. Protest against Mr.Stainton’s change of names in the British Lepi- doptera, 5289 Bree, Rev. W. T., M.A. Deer feeding on _horse-chestnuts, 4993; Nuge Helvetice—Scraps relating to Natural History gathered during a tour in Switzer- land in the summer of 1855, 5217 Briceés, JoHn JoserPH Deer feeding on the horse-chestnut, Piscivorous propensity of the water campagnol, 4993; Remarks on Anacharis Alsinastrum as a food for swans, and an obstruction to the free migration of salmon, 5161; Long-tailed field-mouse, 5311 Brown, JosHua Note on Atypus Sulzeri, 5107 Bucuanan, C. Honey buzzard breeding in Britain, 5096 Buckter, W. Colias Hyale, 5207 Buist, WILL1amM Further results of the artificial breed- ing of salmon at the Stormontfield pond, 5163 Buxton, E. C. Notes on Argynnis Lathonia and Pieris Daplidice, 5108, 5147, 5165 CaRTER, S. Captures of Lepidoptera in North Wales, 4999 Cuapman, THomas The larva of Carpocapsa pomonana feeding on figs, 5002 Cuurcu, Kev. W. M. H. The nightingale near Oundle, 5123 Crark, Rev. Hamtet, M.A. Synonyrmic list of the British species of Philhydrida, with notices of localities, &c., 5005, 5048 ; Atypus Sulzeri in Britain, 5066; Note on localities for Agabus brunneus and Hydroporus opatrinus, 5303 Cooxr, Hrnry Cheimatobia borearia in the South, 5072 Cooke, M. C. Peregrine falcon near Norwich, 5058 Cooker, NIcHoLAsS Description of a British Noctua new to Science, 5294 CooreRr, JAMES Black hare at Epping, 5058 Coucn, JonaTHan, F.L.S., &c. Remarkable act in a fox, 5057; Par- ticulars of some of the habits of the dipper, 5250 Coucn, R. Q., M.R.C.S.E. Notice of the occurrence in Cornwall of that rare zoophyte, Retepora reticulata, 5248; On Crustacea - new to the British Fauna, 5281 Crewe, H. Harpur, M.A. Double-broodedness of Notodonta camelina and Clostera reclusa, 4952; Double-broodedness of No- todonta camelina, 5148; Protest against Mr. Stainton’s change of names in the British Lepidoptera, The name of the ‘Substitute,’ 5289; Notodonta camelina double- brooded, 5292 Crotcu, G. R. Extraordinary abundance of The- cla Betule in Montgomeryshire, 5291 Darr, J. C., M.A., F.LS., &c. Popular fallacies about birds, 4994 ; Humming in the air, Note on the vl British Museum lists of British insects, 5008 ; Captures of Doritis Apollo in Britain, 5070; Note on the occurrence of exotic Sphinges in Britain, 5071; Saturnia Pa- vonia-major four years in the chrysalis, 5072 Dennis, Rev. R. N. Black stork in Kent, 5160 Dovus.Lepay, HENRY Colour of the beak of the hawfinch, 5098. List of the British Eupi- thecie, with notes on some of the species, 5139; Remarks on Mr. ~ Buxton’s note on Argynnis La- thonia and Pieris Daplidice, 5146 ; Notodonte not double-brooded, 5165; Note on Dosithea circui- taria of Stainton’s Annual, 5166; Omission in Mr. Doubleday’s list of Eupithecie, 5208 Dovetas, J. W. Duplicates of Micro-Lepidoptera, 4955; Capture of Heliomanes Umbellatarum, 5180 Drang, R. Note on the hawfinch, 5059 D’Ursan, W.S. M. Note on the bittern in Devonshire, 5064 ; Sclavonian grebe in Devon- shire, Little gull and common skua on the Exe, 5065; Pisci- vorous propensity of the water campagnol, 5095; Whitetailed eagle in Devonshire, 5096; Note on the early arrival of the sand martin and chiffchaff, 5098 Ep Estoy, R. S. Trochilium chrysidiformis, 5001 ; “Do the males of certain of our Lepidopterous insects,” &c., &c., 5206, 5255; On the habits of Argyresthia glaucinella, 5210 Epwarp, THomas Another supposed new flounder, 5065; A list of the birds of Banff- shire, accompanied with anec- dotes, 5117, 5199, 5258; Great sea-cucumber at Banff, 5181; Rosy feather-star and the dotted brittle-star at Banff, 5249 Farr, Rev. J., M.A. Origin of the name “ horse-chestnut,” 5112 Foortit, F. W. Avocet near Newark, 5251 Frazer, Dr. Some observations on the disease in fish called Fungus, which is so fatal in aquaria, fish-ponds, &c., 5126 Vil Fortier, A. Storm petrel at Newmarket and near Cambridge, 5065 GATCOMBE, JOHN Great plover and spotted crake in Devonshire, 4946 Gorr, Rev. H. 1. Capture of Lepidoptera near Hors- ham, 5002 Gosst, P. H., F.R.S. On the use of the anal fork in the larva of the puss-moth, 5254 GrauaAM, DANIEL Rose-coloured pastor at York, 5251 GRANTHAM, G. Bittern at Lewes, 4996 GREENE, Rev. Josepn, M.A. Adaptation of the colouring of moths to autumnal tints, 5073; Note on ‘ Manual of British Butterflies and Moths, 5252; Protest against Mr. Stainton’s change of names in the British Lepidoptera, 5289 Grecson, C.S. Description of Coleophora Vitisella, a new species of Tineina, 5167 ; What the Lancashire entomolo- gists have to “ brag” about, 5210; Corrections of errors, 5256; Re- ply to some of Mr. Ashworth’s remarks in the ‘ Zoologist,’ 5290 ; Descriptions of two British Tineade new to Science, 5295 Gurney, J.H., M.P. Rare birds procured in Norfolk and Suffolk, Remarkable destruction of sea-birds on the Norfolk coast, 5159; Honey buzzard feeding on blackbirds’ eggs, 5249 GuRNEY, SAMUEL Black swans breeding in confine- ment, 5280 Guyon, GEORGE Late stay of swallows in 1855, 4943 ; Observations on a fresh-water aquarium, 4957; Wasp in Janu- ary, 5008; Effects of light and heat on Actinie, 5009; Monony- chus Pseudacori, Serotine bat in the Isle of Wight, 5216 HapFIELD, Captain H. W. Late stay of the swallow tribe, 4994 ; Migration of the swallow tribe, - §060; Note on the spotted crake, 5064; Note on Atypus Sulzeri, 5066; Early arrival of the willow wren, 5097; Familiarity of the hedgesparrow, Note on the hoopoe, 5098; Anecdote of swallows, Tubercular excrescences of the hedgesparrow, Attack on a cat by hedgesparrows, 5204; The house sparrow a fly-catcher, Gray long- beak, 5251; Little crake in the Isle of Man, 5280; Scarcity of the song thrush, 5320 Hauiay, A. H., A.M. The ‘ Zoologist’ abroad, 5289 Harcourt, Epwarp VERNON Late stay of swallows and martins in 1855, 4945 HarpineG, GEORGE, JUN. Drepana Sicula near Bristol, 5207 Haroina, H. J. Aleucis pictaria, 5110 Harpy, J. Melitea Athalia, 5165 Harpy, JAMES Roundheaded porpoise at Oldcam- bus, 5095 HavucutTon, JAMES, JUN. Some remarks on the economy of granivorous Lepidopterous larve, 5144 Hawker, Rev. Witttam Henry, M.A. Zovlogy from the seat of war, 5203 Haywarop, W. H. Late appearance of Cucullia Chamo- mille, 5208 Hieetns, Rev. Henry H., M.A. Anthrax Hottentota in Lancashire, 4954 Histor, Ropert Localities of Elaphrus lapponicus and Agabus congener, 4956 Hogan, A. R. Query as to Helophorus dorsalis, 5111 Houme, Frepericx (The late Letters on Natural History, 5034 Honter, Rev. Rospertr Singular effect of fascination on a fly, 5214 Hussey, Rev. Arruur, M.A. Anecdote of a fox, 4993; Deer feeding on horse-chestnuts, 5057 ; Larva of Stauropus Fagi on the South Downs of Sussex, 5325 Ineati, THomas Capture of Sphinctus serotinus of Gravenhoorst, 5326 Knox, R., M.D., F.R.S.E., &e. The present position of the salmon question, considered physiolo- gically, 4985 : ListER, THomas Notices of rarer birds about Barnsley, 4942 vill Luoyp, A. Horace Fresh-water fish in confinement, 4947 Lioyo, W. ALForp Occurrence in Britain of Edwardsia vestita, 5180,5216; Note on a sea- cucumber in confinement, 5181 Logan, R. F. Note on the Geometrina, 5166 Lower, W. H., M.D. Capture of Elaphrus lapponicus in Glen Almond, Perthshire, 5150 Meapg, R. H., F.R.C.S. On the preservation of spiders, 5067 Mitter, C. Terra incognita, 5077 M‘LarEN, JAMES Economy of Halias Quercana, 5294 ; Duration of pupa-state in Ache- rontia Atropos, 5325 Moore, FrEDERICK Fascination of a butterfly by a lizard, 5070 More, A. G. The great sea-serpent, 4948 ; Colias Edusa, 5253 Natsu, ARTHUR Tinea biselliella, 5167; Notodonta camelina double-brooded, 5255 Newman, Epwarp, F.L.S. Still plover at Bosham, in Sussex, 4946; Question respecting the American scaup said to have been taken at Scarborough, 4947; Mr. Scott’s note on Argynnis Lathonia, 4952; Actinia swimming in an in- verted position on the surface of water, 4956; Black hawfinch, 4994; The supposed new flounder, 4998; Capture of Parnassius Apollo at Dover; also Argynnis Lathonia, Chrysophanus dispar and Catocala Fraxini near Chisel- hurst,in Kent,5001; Agabus pul- chellus in Scotland, 5003; What is Ilybius angustior? 5076; The millers thumb in confinement, What is Gasterosteus pungitius, and have we that fish in Britain? 5124; The horse-leech swallowing a worm, 5134; Food-plant of An- thocharis Cardamines, 5145; Cap- ture of Lebia crux-minor and Bembidium obliquum at Brighton, 5150; Captures of Cryptocephalus and Agrilus biguttatus, Capture of Hydroporus Scalesianus near York, 5178; Ravages committed by Otiorhynchus scabrosus on the hop, 5179; Boxes for the trans- mission of insects by post, 5180 ; Great gathering of Phzdon Vitel- line, 5256; Descriptions of two new Noctuina new to Britain, 5293; Capture of Phlogophora empyrea near Lewes, &c., 5326 Norman, Rev. AtrrepD Merte, M.A. Thesia Polita at the Isle of Herm, Hippolyte Spinus off Oban, Note on Comatula rosacea, 5288 ; Rissoa lactea in Jersey and the Isle of Herm, Limax Gagates in Scot- land and Guernsey, Octopus vul-— garis at Herm, Eurylepta vittata at Herm, 5324 Oxey, T. R. Trochilium Cynipiforme, 5207 Par¥itt, EDWARD Note on Cynips lignicola and de- scription of its parasite (Callimome flavipes), 5074; Description of the _male of Callimome flavipes, 5150 ; Alteration of the name of Calli- mome flavipes ; occurrence of Dei- opeia pulchella in Exeter, &c., 5255 Peacu, Caartes WILLIAM Egg prodigies, 5204 PEAsE, JOSEPH Inquiry respecting the sexes of geese, 5280 Pickarb-CAaMBRIDGE, OcTAvVIUS Graphiphora Ditrapezium in Dorset- shire, 5208 Power, Joun A., M.D. Notes on the genus Haliplus, 5174 Rats, ALFRED Singular swarm of Vanessa Urtice in December, 5000 Rak, J. Beaven (by error, Bakr, J. REUBEN) Nidification of the honey-buzzard in the New Forest, 5277 READING, J. J. Dasycampa rubiginea, 5110; Cap- tures of Carabus intricatus in Devonshire, 5179, 5303 Reeve, J.J. Capture of Colias Hyale and C. Edusa in Sussex, Capture of Ar- gynnis Lathonia in Norfolk, 4952 ; Capture of Callimorpha Hera on the coast of Sussex, 4953 Ropp, Epwarp HEARLE Late appearance of the swallow tribe, 4945; Velvet scoter at the Land’s End, Remarkable flight of wood- cocks, 4946; Montagu’s Harrier near Penryn, Cornwall, 5278; Honey buzzard near Penzance, 5319 Bact : 1X Savin, OsBERT Great bustard in Cambridgeshire, 5278 Scrarer, Putiip LutiLey The Palombiére of Bagnéres de Bigorre, 4943 Scort, J oun Remarks on Mr. Newman’s note re- lating to Argynnis Lathonia, 5000; Tinea imella at Stockton, 5002; Tinea pallescentella at Stockton, 5003; Whom shall we follow? another necessity, A few words about advertisements — another thing hoped for, 5076; Cvoleo- phora alcyonipennella, Ornix Lo- ganella, Lithocolletis irradiella, Bombus soroensis, 5111; Ela- chista teniatella, 5167; - Seay, ALFRED F. Honey buzzard breeding in Hamp- shire, 5058; Great bustard in Cambridgeshire, 5063 SHEPHERD, EpwIN Notodonta camelina not double- brooded, 5072; Error in the ‘Entomologist’s Weekly Intelli- gencer, 5148; Notodonte not double-brooded, 5165; Donble- broodedness of the Notodontea, 5293; Mr. Gregson’s Pecilo- chroma stabilana a variety of P. sordidana, Mr. Stephens’ P. sta- bilana equals P. Solandriana, 5326 SHEpPARD, A. F. Ennomos Alniaria at Margate, Kent, 5110; Vanessa Antiopa at Cob- ham, Surrey, Notodonta Carmelita at West Wickham, 5148; Lima- codes Asellus near Brockenhurst, 5208 Sraney, W. H. Savage conduct of a tame drake, 4996; Do cuckoos take the eggs of other birds as food? 5321 Situ, Rev. ALFRED CHARLES Origin of the name “ horse-chest- nut,” 5057, 5157; Further par- ticulars of the occurrence of the great bustard near Hungerford, 5061; Ornithology of Switzerland, 5268 Suitu, E. Cluantha conspicillaris, 5110 Smita, FREDERICK Nomada borealis, 5167; On the manner in which Vespa rnfa builds its nest, 5169; Extraordinary effect of sudden cold on swifts, 5249 Situ, Rev. Bernarp Noctua leucographa, 5110 Sairn, W. J. Bernwarp Note on the nests of Hydrophilus caraboides and Hydrous piceus, 5215 SmurtTHwalITe, Henry Notes on birds in Germany, 5316 Srarnton, H. T. Duplicate Micro-Lepidoptera, 4954 ; Observations on Micro-Lepido- ptera, 5002; Entomological Bo- tany (with more especial reference to the plants frequented by the Tineina), 5009, 5135, 5196, 5238 ; The small spider of the Origanum, 5107; Aitractiveness of Glyceria fluitans to moths, 5210 STanpisH, F. O. Captures of Lepidoptera in 1856, Cabera rotundaria, Notodonta dic- teoides, N. dromedarius and N. camelina, MRetinia sylvestrana, Capture of two new British Tinee at Box Hill, 5209; Capture of Coleophora conspicuella in Head- ley Lane, 5210 STEVENS, SAMUEL Entomological meeting. at Reigate, 5180; Capture of Trochilium Chrysidiforme, 5207 STEvENsoN, H. Bohemian waxwing in Norfolk, 4943; Sea eagle in Norfolk, Note on the hawfinch breeding in Nor- folk, 4946; Note on the Iceland gull and the shore lark in Norfolk, 4947; Note on the common dipper, 5061 ; Note on the late appearance of the common scoter and the scaup duck in Norfolk, 5123; Golden oriole near Norwich, Note on the broadbilled sandpiper in Norfolk, Late appearance of the longtailed duck and common sco~ ter, Note on Savi’s warbler and on a variety of the grasshopper war- bler,5160 ; Extraordinary varieties of the common nightjar, 5278; Rose pastor, merlin and peregrine in Norfolk, 5320 Strong, S. Recent entomological captures in the neighbourhood of Witney, Oxon, 5109; Do the males of certain of our Lepidopterous insects become See of an instinctive know- edge of the “ whereabouts” of the females even before the latter emerge from the chrysalis state? 5149; Amours of the hedgehog, 5158 b SToweEL., H. A. Aporia Crategi in Kent, 5207 Tapping, THomas Observations on the genus Testa- cellus, and description of a new species, Testacellus Medii Tem- pli, 5099 THomson, WILLIAM | Pheasant feeding on ivy - leaves, 5278 THorncrort, T. Capture of Phlogophora empyrea, Agrotis saucia and Phibalapte- ryx gemmaria at _ Brighton, 5326 Tomes, Rosert F. Removal of Vespertilio emarginatus from the list of British bats, and addition of Vespertilio dasycne- mus to it, 4938 Tristram, H. B. Pelican found dead on the coast of Durham, 5321 Tuck, Epwarp J. Rosecoloured pastor and woodchat shrike in Hertfordshire, 5203; Rosecoloured pastor and hoopoe in Essex, 5319 TournBULL, R. F. Aporia Crategi, 5207 VauGuan, Puixip H. Platypteryx Sicula near 5166, 5208 Wales, GEoRGE Spirea Ulmaria a food-plant of Lam- pronia prelatella, Plutella annula- tella at Newcastle in 1854, 4953 ; Note on Tinea ochraceella, Pe- ronea caledoniana near New- castle, 4954; Lampronia prela- tella, Nomada borealis, 5073; Nomada-~- xanthosticta, Fenusa pumila, 5074 Watcort, W. H. L. Hymenoptera obtained from dead bramble-sticks, 5174 Waker, ALrrep O. Bristol, Luperina abjecta in Flintshire, 5001; Eared grebe in Flintshire, 5321 Wattace, ALEx. Vanessa Antiopa, 5164 Watuace, ALFRED R. Observations on the Zoology of Bor- neo, 5113 Warineton, Roserrt, F.C.S. Observations on the habits of the stickleback, 4948; On the inju- rious effects of an excess or want of heat and light on the aquarium, 4960 Warkins, Cart. C. W. Ornithology of Andalusia, 5312; Corrections of Errors, 5344 Weaver, Ricuarp Chrysophanus dispar in Stafford- shire, 5109 WEBSTER, W. Description of a supposed new Skenea; occurrence of Crenella costulata and Modiola phaseolina in Mount’s Bay, 5205 WEIR, J. JENNER Captures of Lepidoptera at Pem- bury, Kent, 5208 ; Capture of An- thribus albinus at Pembury, 5216 Witpmay, T. Early appearance of Vanessa Ata- lanta, 5206 Witmor, J. P. An egg prodigy, 5123 WINGFIELD, Rev. W. Anecdote of the turtle dove, 4995 Winter, Joun N. Cherocampa Celerio near Brighton, 5074; Captures of Lepidoptera at Brighton, 5209 Wottaston, T. Vernon, M.A., F.LS. Capture of a Coleopterous genus new to the British Fauna, 5178; Note on the occurrence of Scraptia nigricans, 5256 Wo LLey, GrorGE Avocet in Nottinghamshire, 2280 W ooprorreE, ARTHUR A young spoonbill shot at Shore- ham, 5321 YarRReELL, Wixu1AM (The late) Recent occurrence of the great bus- tard in Berkshire, 4995 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SUEJECTS. Acari and “fogging” of Daguerreotypes, 5082 Acari, the nuisance of, 5086 Acarus, silk-spinning of the furze, 4963 Accentor modularis, 5263 Acherontia Atropos, duration of pupa- State in, 5325 . Actinia swimming in an inverted position on the surface of water, 4956 Actiniz, effects of light and heat on, 5009 Adelotopus ephippiatus, 5027 - rubiginosus, 5028 Advertisements, a few words about— another thing hoped for, 5076 Agabus brunneus, note on localities for, 5303 Agabus, query as to the eggs of, 5003 Agabus congener, localities of, 4956 » dispar, capture of, 5004 » pulchellus in Scotland, 5003 Agra, South- American Coleopterous genus, on the sexual distinctions in the, 5088 Agrilus biguttatus, captures of, 5178 Agrimonia Eupatoria, insect feeding on, 5009 ; Agrotis saucia, capture of at Brighton, 5326 Alcedo ispida, 5276 Alchemilla vulgaris, insect feeding on, 5009 Aleucis pictaria, 5110 Alphitobius picipes, capture of at South Shields, 5111 Amphibolus atricapillus, 5053 Anacharis Alsinastrum as a food for swans, and an obstruction to the free migra- tion of salmon, 5161 Anecdote of a fox, 4993; of the turtle dove, 4995; of swallows, 5204 ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural His- tory, 4937, 4982, 5088, 5182, 5326 Antenne, a fact bearing on the function of, 4967, 4998 Antherophagus nigricornis, note on, 5003 Anthocharis Cardamines, food-plaut of, 5145 Anthrax Hottentota in Lancashire, 4954 Anthribus albinus, capture of at Pem- bury, 5216 Aporia Crategi in Kent, 5207 Aquarium, fresh-water, observations on, 4957; injurious effects of an excess or want of heat and light on the, 4960 Aquila albicilla, 5119 » chrysaetos, 2d. » haliaetus, zd. Argynnis Lathonia, capture of in Norfolk, 4952; Mr. Scott’s note on, id.; re- marks on Mr. Newmans uote relating tv, 5000 ; capture of near Chiselhurst, in Kent, 5001; note on, 5108; re- marks on Mr. Buxton’s note on, 5146; notes on, 5147, 5165 Argyresthia glaucinella, habits of, 5210 Atypus Sulzeri of Latreille, note on, 5021 ; occurrence of in Britain, 5066 ; note on, id.; note on, 5107 Aurelians, the old, outdone, 4966 Avocet near Newark, 5251 ; in Notting- hamshire, 5280 Axius, characters of the genus, 5281 Bagnéres de Bigorre, the Palombieére of, 4943 Bat, Serotine, in the Isle of Wight, 5216 Bats, British, removal of Vespertilio emarginatus from the list of, and addition of V. dasycnemus to it, 4938 Bee-eater, 5315 Bembidium obliquum at Brighton, 5150 Berosus zericeps, 5054 » globosus, zd. » luridus, 7d. »» Spinosus, id. Birds, rarer, notices of about Barnsley, 4942; popular fallacies about, 4994 ; of Banffshire, accompanied with anecdotes, 5117, 5199, 5208; rare, procured in Norfolk and Suffolk, 5159; sea, remarkable destruction of on the Norfolk coast, id. ; British, Second Supplement to the History of, 5257 ; notes on,in Germany, 5316; do cuckoos take the eggs of, as food ? 5321 Bittern at Lewes, 4996; in Bedfordsbire, 5064; in Devonshire, zd.; little, 5277 Blackbird, 5262 Blackcap, 5265 Bombus soroensis, 5111 » sylvarum, note on, 5003 Bombycilla garrula, 5267 Bombyx, Australian, escaping from its cocoon in England, 4963 Botaurus minutus, 5277 Botys terrealis, 5208 Brachinide, 5297 Xi Bramble, common, insects feeding on, 5136 Brittle-star, dotted, at Banff, 5249 Bryophila perla, economy of, 5085 Bubo maximus, 5270 Bucculatrix hippocastanella, 5002 Bustard, great, recent occurrence of in Berkshire, 4995 ; further particulars of, 5061; in Cambridgeshire, 5063, 2278 Butterfly, peacock, sound produced by, 5032; fascination of a, by a lizard, 5070 Buzzard, Honey, breeding in Hampshire, 5058; breeding in Britain, 5096; honey in Banffshire, 5201; rough- legged in Banffshire, 5200; feeding on blackbirds’ eggs, 5249; in the New Forest, 5277; near Penzance, 5319 Cabera rotundaria, 5209 Callimome flavipes, description of the female, 5075; of the male, 5150; alteration of the name of, 5255 Callimorpha Hera, capture of on the coast of Sussex, 4953 Campagnol, water, piscivorous propensity of, 4993, 5095 Carabide, 5298 Carabus intricatus, captures of in Devon- shire, 5179, 5303 Carpocapsa pomonana, larva of feeding on the fig, 5002 Cat, attack on a, by hedgesparrows, 5204 Catocala Fraxini, capture of near Chisel- hurst, Kent, 5001 Cercyon, genus, 5056 Cerura vinula, larva of, 5292 Cherocampa Celerio near Brighton, 5074 Chetarthria seminulum, 5055 Cheimatobia borearia in the South, 5072 Chiffchaff, early arrival of, 5098; in Bauffshire, 5266 Chrysalis, Saturnia Pavonia-major four years in the, 5072 Chrysoclista Schrankella, 5002 Chrysophanus dispar, capture of near Chiselhurst, in Kent, 5001; in Staf- fordshire, 5109 Cicindelide, 5297 Cinclus aquaticus, 5260, 5271 Cliffs of Moher, a glance over the, 4941 Cloantha conspicillaris, 5110 Clostera reclusa, double-broodedness of, 4952 Cockie, water, 5260 Coleophora alcyonipennella, 5111 ; couspicuella, capture of in Headley Lane, 5210 “4 Vitisella, a new species of Tineina, description of, 5167 @ Coleoptera, new genera of, 5087; a syste- matic list of found in the vicinity of Alverstoke, South Hants, 5296 Coleopterous genus new to the British Fauna, capture of a, 5178 Colias Edusa in Sussex, 4952 ; near Ryde, 5253 » Hyale in Sussex, 4952, 5207 Comarum palustre, insects feeding on, 5010 Comatula rosacea, nvte on, 5288 Conops, note on the genus, 4966 ‘Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan and the adjacent coasts of Borneo,’ 4934 Coot, common, 5277 Coracias garrula, 5314 Corn, growing, destruction of by Dipterous larve, 5082 Cornwall Natural History and Anti- quarian Society, anniversary meeting of, 4972 Corvus corax, 5314 Crake, spotted, in Devonshire, 4946; in the Isle of Wight, 5064; little, in the Isle of Man, 5280 Crategus Oxyacantha, insects feeding on, 5196, 5238 Crenella costulata in Mount’s Bay, 5205 Crossbill, 5315; breeding in the North of England, 5159 Crustacea, new facts on the ecdysis or moulting of, 4972; metamorphoses of, 4973; new to the British Fauna, 5281 Cryphalus binodulus, 5305 Cryptocephalus nitens, &c., captures of, 5178 Cryptopleurum atomarium, 5056 Cuckoos, do they take the eggs of other birds, as food? 5321 Cucullia Chamomille, late appearance of, 5208 Cyclonotum orbiculare, 5055 Cynips Lignicola, analysis of the galls of, 5025; note on and description of its parasite, Callimome flavipes, 5074 Daguerreotypes, Acari and “ fogging ” of, 5082 Dallas, W.S., ‘A Natural History of the Animal Kingdom, being a Syste- matic and Popular Description of the Habits, Structure, and Classifi- cation of Animals, 5335 Dasycampa rubiginea, 5110 Deer feeding on horse-chestnuts, 4993, 5057 Deilephila Galii in Sussex, 5254 Deiopeia pulchella near Exeter, 5255 Dendrophilus pygmeus, 5305 xu Diceum croceoventer, habits of in con- finement, 4943 Dinarda Maerkelii, 5305 Dipper, near Norwich, 506! ; particulars of some of the habits of the, 5250; in Banffshire, 5260 ; in Switzerland, 5271 Dipterous larve, voided by human beings, 5079; destruction of growing corn by, 5082 Dorcatoma rubens, 5305 Doritis Apollo, captures of in Britain,5070 Dorthesia Characias, on the parturition of, 5082 Dosithea circuitaria of Stainton’s Annual, note on, 5166 Douglas, J. W.,‘ The World of Insects : a Guide to “its Wonders,’ 5045 Dove, turtle, anecdote of, 4995 Drake, tame, savage conduct of a, 4996 Drepana Sicula near Bristol, 5207 Duck, scaup, late appearance of in Nor- folk, 5123; longtailed, late appear- ance of, 5160 Eagle, golden, 5119; sea, in Norfolk, 4946; in Banffshire, 5119; white- tailed, in Devonshire, 5096 Edwardsia vestita, occurrence of in Britain, 5183, 5216 Egg prodigies, 5123, 5204 Eggs of Agabus, query as to, 5003 Eggs, blackbirds’, honey buzzard feeding on, 5249 Elaphridz, 5298 Elaphrus lapponicus, localities of, 4956 ; in Glen Almond, Perthshire, 5150 Elmis ezneus, 5050 » cupreus, zd. » lacustris, 5049 » itens, 5050 » parallelipipedus, zd. » Variabilis, 5049 Volkmari, id. Ennomos alniaria at Margate, Kent, 5110 Entomological Botany, 5009, 5135, 5196, 5238 Entomological captures, recent, in the neighbourhood of Witney, Oxon, 5109 Entomological meeting at Reigate, 5180 Entomological Society, proceedings of, 4961, 5026, 5081, 5151, 5241, 5303 ‘ Entomologist’s Annual for 1856, 4978 Entemologists, Lancashire, what they have to “brag” about, 5210, 5256; reply to Mr. Gregson’s observations, 5252 ‘Entomulogist’s Weekly Intelligencer,’ error in, 5148 Epeira senegalensis, 5153 Erne, 5119 Eupithecia abbreviata, 5141 bs absinthiata, 5142 e constrictata, 5141 “4 denotata, 5143 a dodoneata, 5141 “ egenata, 5143 - exiguata, 5141 3 expallidata, 5142 3 minutata, id. es oxydata, 5143 ae pimpinellata, zd. = plumbeolata, 5141 KS pusillata, zd. . Satyrata, id. ed sobrinata, 5142 ‘ subciliata, 5143 ee subfulvata, id. 3 subnotata, id. os tenuiata, 5141 vulgata, 5142 Eupithecia, list of the British, with notes on some of the species, 5139; omis- sion in the list, 5208 Eurylepta vittata at Herm, 5324 Exapate gelatella, 5002 External characters, influence of sexual organs on, 3080 Falco ater, 5313 » weruginosus, 5201 » salon, 5121, 5313 » apivorus, 5201 » DButeo, 5200 3» cimerascens, 5201 » eyaneus, id. » lagopus, 5200 » Milvus, zd., 5313 » Nisus, 5199 » palumbarius, 5200 » peregrinus, 5119, 5313 » Tufus, 5313 » Linnunculoides, id. tinnunculus, 5199, 5313 F alcon, peregrine, near Norwich, 5058; in "Banfishire, 5119 Fauna, British, Crustacea new to, 5281 Feather-star, rosy, at Banff, 5249 Fenusa pumila, 5074 Fieldfare, 5260 Field-mouse, long-tailed, 5311 Fish, fresh-water, in confinement, 4947; disease in, called Fungus, which is so fatal in aquaria, fish-ponds, &c., 5126 Flounder, supposed new, 4998; another supposed new, 5065 Fly, singular effect of fascination on a, 5214 Flycatcher, the house sparrow a, 5251; spotted, 5258; pied, 5259 X1V Fox, anecdote of a, 4993; remarkable act in a, 5057 Fragaria vesca, insects feeding on, 5010 Fulica atra, 5277 Gall-fly of the oak, 4964 Galls of Cynips Lignicola, 5025 Garrulus glandarius, 5273, 5314 Gasterosteus levis, 5125 rs pungitius, what is that fish, and have we it in Britain ? 5124 Geese, inquiry respecting thesexes of, 5124 ‘General Outline of the Orgrnization of the Animal Kingdom, and Manual of Comparative Anatomy, 4974 Geometrina, note on the, 5166 Georyssus pygmeus, 5049 Glyceria fluitans, attractiveness of to moths, 5210 Gonepteryx Rhamni, 4950; economy of, 5085, 5152 Goshawk, 5200 Gosse, Philip Henry, ‘ A Handbook to the Marine Aquarium, 4933 ; ‘ A Manual of Marine Zoology for the British Isles, 5339; ‘Tenby: a Sea-side Holiday, 5343 Gracilaria Haighii, 5295 Grammophora diptheroides, 5295 Graphiphora Ditrapezium in Dorsetshire, 5208 Grebe, Sclavonian, in Devonshire, 5066 ; eared, in Flintshire, 5321 Gull, Iceland, in Norfolk, 4947; little, on the Exe, 5065 Halias Quercana, economy of, 5294 Haliplus affinis, 5176 = confinis, 5177 a elevatus, 5175 pe flavicollis, id. 7 fluviatilis, 5176 a fulvus, 5175 * lineatocollis, 5177 - mucronatus, 5175 % obliquus, 5177 ruficollis, 5176 ‘Handbook to the Marine Aquarium,’ 4933 Hare, black, at Epping, 5058 Harpalide, 5299 Harrier, marsh, 5201, 5314; hen, 5201; ashcoloured, id. ; Montagw’ Ss, near Penryn, Cornwall, 5278 Hawfinch breeding in Norfolk, 4946; black, 4994; note on, 5059; colour of the beak of, 5098 Hawk, fish, 5119; blue or bunting, id. Hedgehog, amours of the, 5158 Hedgesparrow, familiarity of, 5098; tubercular excrescences of, 5204; in Banffshire, 5263 Hedgesparrows, attack on a eat by, 5204 Helephorus aquaticus, 5050 dorsalis, 5051; query as to, 5111 a grandis, 5050 a griseus, td. = nanus, 5051 P| nubilus, 5050 Fe pumilio, 5051 tugosus, 5050 Heliomanes Umbellatarum, capture of, 5180 Hemerobius variegatus, 5152 Heterocerus marginatus, 5048 35 minutus, 5049 se obsoletus, 5048 Heusimene, fimbriana, habit of, 5167 Hippolyte Spinus off Oban, 5288 Hoopoe, 5098, 5315; in Essex, 5319 Horse-chestnut, origin of the name, 5057, 5112, 5157 Horse-chestnuts, deer feeding on, 5057 Horse-leech swallowing a worm, 5134 Human beings, dipterous larve voided by, 5079 Humming in the air, 5008 Hydrena flavipes, 5053 » » “gracilis, ed. » nRigtitayed. » pygmea, zd. » -Tiparia, td. testacea, id. Hydrobius eneus, 5054 Fe bicolor, id. $s fuscipes, zd. . globulus, zd. Ps oblongus, zd. Hydrochus angustatus, 5052 : brevis, id. Bd elongatus, zd. Hydrophilus caraboides, note on the nest of, 5215 os piceus, 5054 Hydroporus latus, capture of and localities for, 5004 melanarius, capture of in Cumberland, 5214 opatrinus, note on localities for, 5303 5 Scalesianus, capture of near York, 5178 Hydrous caraboides, 5054 Ly piceus, note on the nest of, 5215 Hymenoptera, nests of from Port Natal, 5028; obtained from dead bramble- sticks, 5174 Ilybius angustior { ? what is, 5076 Indigenous? what is, 5078 Insecta, on the Variation of Species, with especial reference to the, followed by XV an Inquiry into the Nature of Genera, 5186 Insects, removal of grease from, 4962; British, note on the British Museum lists of, 5008; the World of, 5045; Lepidopterous, do the males of cer- tain of them become possessed of an instinctive knowledge of the “ where- abouts” of the females, even before the latter emerge from the chrysalis state? 5149, 5206, 5255; uncertain dates of the appearance of, and sug- gestions for keeping a record of such dates, 5168; boxes for the transmis- sion of by post, 5180 ‘Introduction to Entomology; or, Ele- ments of the Natural History of In- sects, comprising an Account of Noxious and Useful Insects, &c., 5334 Jay, 5273, 5314 Jones, Thomas Rymer, ‘ General Outline of the Organization of the Animal Kingdom, and Manual of Compara- tive Anatomy, 4974 ‘Journal of the Proceedings of the Lin- nean Society,’ 5093, 5331 Kestrel, 5199, 5313; little, 5313 Kingfisher in Switzerland, 5276 Kirby and Spence, ‘An Introduction to Entomology, 5334 Kite, "sean common, 5313; id. Laccobius bipustulatus, 5054 a minutus, zd. Lammergeyer, 5269 Lamprocolletis bipectinatus, description of, 5310 Lampronia prelatella, 5073; Spirea Ul- maria a food-plant of, 4953 Lanius rufus, 5315 ; Laphygma exigua, 5293 Lark, shore, in Norfolk, 4947 Larva of Carpocapsa pomonana feeding on the fig, 5002; Lepidopterous, longevity of a small, 5085; of puss- moth, on the use of the anal fork in, 5254; of Cerura vinula, 5292; of Stauropus Fagi on the South Downs of Sussex, 5325 Larve, Dipterous, voided by human beings, 5079; destruction of grow- ing corn by, 5082; Lepidopterous, economy of granivorous, 5144; of Lepidoptera, preparation of, 5310 Lasiocampa Trifolii, strange habit of, 5207 Laurel leaves, poisoning with, 5246 Laverna ochraceella, 5002 . Lebia crux-minor at Brighton, 5150 black, Lepidoptera, captures of in North Wales, 4999; near Horsham, 5002; at Pembury, Kent, 5208; at Brighton, 5209; in 1856, id.; British, protest against Mr. Stainton’s change of names in, 5289; preparation of the larve of, 5310 Lepidopterous larve, granivorous, re- marks on the economy of, 5144 Lepidosiren and allied genera unques- tionably fishes, 5020 Leucania vitellina, 5293 Limacodes Asellus near Brockenhurst, 5208 Limax Gagates in Scotland and Guernsey, 5324 Limnebius lutosus, 5054 e nitidus, id. a picinus, id. 7 truncatellus, zd. Linnean Society, proceedings of, 5020, 5079 Linnet, mountain, 5272 Linota montium, 5272 Lithocolletis irradiella, 5111 Lizard, fascination of a butterfly by a, 5070 Longbeak, gray, 5251 Loxia curvirostra, 5315 Luperina abjecta in Flintshire, 5001 Magpie, blue, 5314; common, zd. ‘Manual of British Butterflies and Moths,’ note on, 5252 ‘Manual of Marine Zoology for the British Isles, 5339 ‘Manual of Sea-Anemones commonly found on the English Coast,’ 5340 Martin, sand, early arrival of, 5098 Martins, late stay of in 1855, 4945 Mavis, 5261 Megapodius Cumingii, habits of, 4944 Megasternum obscurum, 5056 Melitzea Athalia, 5165 Merlin, 5121, 5313; in Norfolk, 5320 Merops apiaster, 5315 Micro - Lepidoptera, duplicate, 4955; observations on, 5002 Miller’s thumb in confinement, 5124 Modiola phaseolina in Mounts Bay, 5205 Moher (County Clare, Ireland), a glance over the cliffs of, 4941 Mononychus Pseudacori, 5216 Moths, adaptation of ‘the colouring of to autumnal tints, 5073; attractiveness of Glyceria fluitans to, 5210 Motley, James, and Lewis Llewellyn Dill- wyn, ‘Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan, and the Adjacent Coasts of Borneo,’ 4934 4954, XV1 Muscicapa atricapilla, 5259 e grisola, 5258 Mysis Lamorne, 5286 » Oberon, 5284 ‘Natural History of the Animal King- dom, being a Systematic and Popular Description of the Habits, Structure, and Classification of Animals,’ 5335 Natural- History collectors in foreign countries, proceedings of, 5012 — Natural History, letters on, 5034 ‘ Natural History of Ireland,’ 5190 ‘Natural History of the Tineina, 4929 Natural History, scraps relating to, gathered during a tour in Switzer- land, 5217 ‘Natural History Review, 4935, 5093, 5194 Necessity, another—whom shall we fol- low ? 5076 Nemopbora pilella at Stockton, 5003 Nests of Hydrophilus caraboides and Hy- drous piceus, 5215 Nightingale near Oundle, 5123 Nightjar, common, extraordinary varieties of, 5278 Nitidula flexuosa, capture of in the North of England, 5111 Noctua, description of a British new to Science, 5294 Noctua leucographa, 5110 Noctuide, abundance of, 4964 Noctuina, descriptions of two new to Britain, 5293 Nomada borealis, 5073, 5167 a xanthosticta, 5074 Notodonta camelina, 5209; double- broodedness of, 4952, 5148, 5255, 5292; not double-brooded, 5072 ® Carmelita at West Wickham, 5148 a dictzoides, 5209 * dromedarius, zd. Notodonte not double-brooded, 5165; double-broodedness of, 5293 Nucifraga caryocatactes, 5273 Nutcracker, zd. Oak, gall-fly of the, 4964; galls, note on, 4969 Ochina Ptinoides, capture of in Cumber- land, 5215 Octhebius eneus, 5052 ‘ eratus, 2d, 99 bicolon, zd. fe exaratus, zd. z exsculptus, id. +‘ margipallens, id. a marinus, id. " pygmeus, zd. a rufo-marginatus, 7d. Octopus vulgaris at Herm, 5324 (Egoconia quadripunctella, 5002 ‘On the Variation of Species, with espe- cial reference to the Insecta, 5186 — Oriole, golden, 5315; near Norwich, 5160 Oriolus galbula, 5315 Ornithological captures, 4972 Ornithology of Switzerland, 5268; of Andalusia, 5312 Ornix Loganella, 5111 Osprey, 5L19 Otiorhynchus scabrosus, ravages com- mitted by, on the hop, 5179 Ouzel, ring, 5262, 5272; water, 5271 Owl, little, 5159, 5202, 5314; Jongeared, 5201; shorteared, id.; barn, id.; tawny, 7td.; snowy, id. ; eagle, 5270, 5314; Tengmalm’s, 5314 Palzornis Malaccensis, on the habits of, 4942 Palombiére of Bagnéres de Bigorre, 4943 Pamphila Actzon, &c., at Lulworth Cove, 5071 : Parnassius Apollo, capture of at Dover, 5001; at Ealing, 5109 Parnus auriculatus, 5049 9 Dumerilii, id. » prolefericornis, id. Parus ater, 5266 » ceruleus, zd. » caudatus, zd. » cristatus, 5267 » Major, 5266 » palustris, 5267 Pastor, rose-coloured, in Hertfordshire, 5203; at York, 5241; in Switzer- land, 5272; in Essex, 5319; in Norfolk, 5320 Pausside, note on, 4970 Pelican found dead on the coast of Dur- ham, 5321 Pelopzus, rectification of statements on the economy of, 5020 Peregrine, lordly, 5314 ; in Norfolk, 5320 Peronea caledoniana near Newcastle, 4954 Petrel, storm, at Newmarket and near Cambridge, 5065 Phedon Vitelliuz, great gathering of, 5256 Pheasant feeding on ivy-leaves, 5278 Phibalapteryx gemmaria, capture of at Brighton, 5326 Philhydrida, synonymic list of the British species of, with notices of localities, &e., 5005, 5048 Philhydrus lividus, 5055 P marginellus, zd. ” melanocephalus, id. XV1l Phlogophora empyrea, capture of at Brighton, 5326 ; near Lewes, &c., zd. Phenicura tithys, 5272 Pica caudata, 5314 » cyanea, id. Picus martius, 5274 Pieris Daplidice, note on, 5108 ; remarks on Mr. Buxten’s note on, 5146; notes on, 5147, 5165 Planes Linnzana, capture of in Mount’s Bay, 4973 Platypteryx Sicula near Bristol, 5166; capture of a second specimen, 5208 Plover, great, in Devonshire, 4946 ; stilt, at Bosham, in Sussex, zd. Plutella annulatella at Newcastle, 4953 Peecilochroma stabilana (Mr. Gregson’s) a variety of P. sordidana, 5326 = of (Mr. Stephens’) equals P. Solandriana, zd. Poisoning with laurel-leaves, 5246 Porpoise, round-headed, at Oldcambus, 3095 Potentilla Fragariastrum, insects feeding on, 5010 Poterium Sanguisorba, insect feeding on, 5009 Prawn, antenne of the, 4998 Pseudomorpha amaroides, 5027 Pseudomorphina, characters of three in the cabinet of Mr. Waterhouse, id. Puss-moth, on the use of the anal fork in the larva of, 5254 Pyrus communis, insects feeding on, 5239 » Malus, insects feeding on, id. ‘Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, including the Transactions of the Microscopical Society of Lon- don, 4936, 4984, 5091 Quedius dilatatus, note on, 4966 Raven, 5314 Redbreast, robin, 5263 Redstart, 5264; black, id., 5272 Redwing, 5262 Regulus cristatus, 5266 Regulus, goldencrested, id. Retepora reticulata in Cornwall, 5248 Retinia sylvestrana, 5209 Rissoa lactea in Jersey and the Isle of Herm, 5324 Robin, gray, 5263; common, 5316 Roller, 5314 Rosa canina, insects feeding on, 5137 Roslerstammia Erxlebella, 5002 Rubus Idzus, insects feeding on, 5011, 5135 Salmon, extraordinary run with a, 5133; artificial rearing of, id.; artificial breeding of, zd. ; Anacharis Alsinas- trum an obstruction to the * free migration of, 5161; further results of the artificial breeding of at Stor- montfield Pond, 5163 Salmon question, present position of con- sidered physiologically, 4985 ; sum- mary of facts and opinions, 4990 Sandpiper, broadbilled, in Norfolk, 5160 Saturnia Pavonia-major four years in the chrysalis, 5072 Scaritide, 5298 Scaup, American, question respecting the one said to have been taken at Scar- borough, 4947 Schacht, Dr. Hermann, ‘ The Microscope and its application to Vegetable Anatomy and Physiology, 4932 Scoter, velvet, at the Land’s End, 4946; common, late appearance of in Nor- folk, 5123, 5160 Scraptia nigricans, note on, 5256 Sea-cucumber, great, at Banff, 5181; in confinement, zd. Sea-serpent, the great, 4948 Sea-snake story a fiction, 4998 ‘Second Supplement to the History of British Birds, 5257 Sepia biserialis in Cornwall, 5080 Sexual distinctions in the South-American Coleopterous genus Agra, 5088 ‘Sexual organs, influence of on external characters, 5080 Shrike, 5315 ; woodchat, in Hertfordshire, 5203 Skenea, description of a supposed new, 5205 Skua, common, on the Exe, 5065 Society of British Entomologists, pro- ceedings of, 4971 Sparrowhawk, 5199 Sparrow, house, a flycatcher, 5251 Spercheus emarginatus, 5050 Spheridium bipustulatum, 5055 - Scarabeoides, id. Sphinctus serotinus of Gravenhorst, cap- ture of, 5326 Sphinges, exotic, in Britain, 5071 Spider, lost, 5033 ; silk, of St. Helena, id. ; small, of the Origanum, 5107 Spiders, on the preservation of, 5067 Spirea Ulmaria a food-plant of Lam- pronia prelatella, 4953 Spoonbill, young, shot at Shoreham, 5321 Stainton, H. T., &c., ‘The Natural His- tory of the Tineina, 4929 Stauropus Fagi, larva of, on the South Downs of Sussex, 5325 Stickleback, observations on the habits of the, 4948; nine-spined, 5125 Stonechat, 5264 Stork, black, in Kent, 5160 Cc XViil Strix aluco, 5201 », brachyotus, zd. » bubo, 5314 », flammea, 5201 » nyctea, zd. » Olus, zd. » passerina, id., 5314 Tengmalmi, 5314 Substitute, the name of the, 5289 Swallow tribe, late appearance of, 4945 ; late stay of, 4994; migration of, 5060 Swallows, late stay of in 1855, 4943, 4945; anecdote of, 5204 Swans, Anacharis Alsinastrum as a food for, 5161; black, breeding in con- finement, 5280 Swifts yextraordinary effect of sudden cold on, 5249 Sylvia atricapilla, 5265 » cinerea, zd. » cenanthe, 5264 »» pheenicurus, id. » Phragmitis, 5265 » Tubecula, 5263 », Trubetra, 5264 » -Tubicola, zd. » rufa, 5266 » Ssibilatrix, 5265 » tithys, 5264 trochilus, 5265 Synemun, note on the genus, 5087 “Tenby: a Sea-side Holiday,’ 5343 Terra Incognita, 5077 Testacellus, observations on the genus, and description of a new species, 5099 Testacellus ambiguus, 5105 o corneus, 5102 * costatus, zd. me haliotoideus, 5101 ss Maugei, 5102 > Medii Templi, 5105 a Scutulum, 5103 ” ie TST, id. ‘The Microscope, and its application to Vegetable Anatomy and Physiology,’ 4932 ‘The World of Insects: a Guide to its Wonders, 5045 Thecla Betule, extraordinary abundance of in Montgomeryshire, 5291 Thesia Polita at the Isle of Herm, 5288 Thompson, William (the late), ‘ The Natural History of Ireland,’ 5190 Thrush, missel, 5260; song, 5261; scar- city of, 5320 Tichodroma pheenicoptera, 5275 Tinea biselliella, 5167 » imella at Stockton, 5002 Tinea nigrifoldella, 5295 » ochraceella, note on, 4954 » pallescentella at Stockton, 5003 Tineade, descriptions of two British new to Science, 5295 Tinez, capture of two new British at Box Hill, 5209 Tineina, The Natural History of the, 4929; plants frequented by the, 5009, 5135, 5196, 5238; a new species of, 5167 Tinker, 5125 Titmouse, great, 5266; blue, id.; cole, id.; longtailed, id.; marsh, 5267 ; crested, zd. Tour in Switzerland, notes of a, 5217 Trochilium Chrysidiforme, capture of, 5001, 5207 4 Cynipiforme, 5207 Tugwell, Rev. G., ‘A Manual of Sea- Anemones commonly found on the English Coast,’ 5340 Turdus iliacus, 5262 » merula, zd. » migratorius, 5316 » musicus, 5261 » pilaris, 5260 » torquatus, 6263, 5272 viscivorus, 5260 Upupa epops, 5315 Vanessa Antiopa at Cobham, Surrey, 5148; in the Isle of Wight, 5164 » Atalanta, early appearance of, 5206 ss Urtice, singular swarm of in December, 5000 Variety of the grasshopper warbler, 5160 Varieties, extraordinary, of the common nightjar, 5278 Vespa rufa, on the manner in which it builds its nest, 5169 Vespertilio dasycuemus, addition of to the list of British bats, 4938; de- scription of, 4939; dimensions of, 4940 emarginatus, removal of from the list of British bats, zd. Vultur fulvus, 5312 9» percnopterus, 5313 Vulture, common, 5312; 5313 Warbler, Savi’s, note on, 5160; grass- aes variety of the, id.; sedge, Egyptian, Wasp i in yoda, 5008 Waxwing, Bohemian, in Norfolk, 49438 ; in Banffshire, 5267 Wheatear, 5264 Whinchat, id. X1X Whitethroat, 5265 Willows, excrescences on the leaves of, 5008 Woodcocks, remarkable flight of, 4946 Wollaston, T. Vernon, ‘ On the Variation of Species, with especial reference to the Insecta, followed by an In- quiry into the Nature of Genera,’ 5186 Woodpecker, great black, 5274 Worn, horse-leech swallowing a, 5134 Wren, willow, early arrival of, 5097; wood, 5265; willow, id.; golden- crested, 5266 Yarrell, William, V.P.L.S., F.RS., &c., ‘Second Supplement to the History of British Birds,’ 5257 ‘ Zoologist’ abroad, 5289 Zoology from the seat of war, 5203 Zoology of Borneo, observations on the, 5113 Zoophyte, rare, in Cornwall, 5248 ADVERTISEMENT. The ‘ZOOLOGIST’ will be continued both as a Monthly and an Annual Publication. As a Monthly, it will contain thirty-two pages of letter-press, occasionally accompanied with illustrations engraved on wood; will be on sale two days before the end of every month; and will be charged One Shilling. As an Annual, it will be sold on or about the ist of December; will contain twelve Monthly Numbers, bound and lettered uniformly with the present Volume; and will be charged Thirteen Shillings. An Alphabetical List, both of Contributors and Contents, will be published once in the year. THE ZOOLOGIST FOR 1856. NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. ‘The Natural History of the Tineina,” Vol. 1., containing Nepticula, Part I., and Cemiostoma, Part I. By H. T. Srarnton, assisted by Prorressor ZELLER and J. W. Dovetas. London: Van Voorst. Paris: Deyrolle. Berlin: Mittler and Son. 1855. Demy 8vo, 338 pp. letter-press; 8 coloured plates: price 12s. 6d.; to Subscribers 7s. 6d. : It is difficult to realize the idea of a complete work of which an 8vo volume of 338 pages is but the tithe of a first instalment of an unlimited number of series. The most sanguine of entomologists will scarcely contemplate the possibility of living until the last volume of the last series shall be complete. It is not, however, the province of the reviewer to scan, through the telescope of imagination, the dim prospect of a far-off future: his part is to deal with the first volume of the first series just as it were the first, the last, and the only one. Viewed in this light, the present volume is most valuable; it gives us the histories of twenty-one species of Nepticula and three of Cemios- toma; all of them patiently worked out and illustrated by excellent figures of the larva, food-plant and imago: there are, however, no figures of the pupa, and this I feel an omission: it is true they may be very similar in the several species, and this might be a sound argument for not repeating them—it is scarcely one for omitting them altogether. To myself it has always been a matter of regret that more attention was not paid to the preparatory states of all our insects: it is true that these states are often less enduring than the perfect insect; and it is also true that we are naturally apt to prefer the tangible and the visible: the acquisition and diffusion of know- ledge for its own sake, and irrespective of all ulterior utilitarian objects, XIV. B 4930 Notices of New Books. are tastes confined to the few. Mr. Stainton is one of these; and it is also his constant aim to go to Nature herself as the fountain-head of such knowledge: for myself, I have long since learned that it is dangerous and inexpedient to elicit materials from any other source: frequently as the writings of others may guide us to the truth, they should be availed of simply as guides to the source, and not as the source itself: nothing should be substituted for personal observation, except when personal observation cannot be brought to bear. Mr. Stainton entertains and has often advanced these views, but it appears to me that he scarcely carries them out in that thorough-paced manner which he himself would recommend to the rising generation of natu- ralists. As an example: Degeer is an excellent guide, perhaps the very best in many cases, but it is making rather too free with this eminent naturalist to occupy so many pages with an extract from his description of Nepticula anomalella, an insect so abundant that, as Mr. Stainton observes, “if we examine our rose-bushes in the months of July and October we can hardly fail to observe on some of them that many of the leaves are marked with its ‘ pale serpentine tracks.’” Mr. Stainton evidently has all the materials for a history of the insects, and he is quite right in fairly acknowledging the value of Degeer’s previous labours; but he need not have cited them either in addition to or in lieu of hisown. There is a strong reason for noticing and even dwelling on this point, namely, that if we have each indi- vidual history thus doubly elaborated, the work becomes extended beyond the limits actually required to render the subject clear and intelligible; and the eventual completion of the work is indefinitely procrastinated. , The letter-press is in four languages, English, French, German and Latin, printed in four parallel columns, the object of which is to extend the circle of readers, and, as a consequence, the sphere of utility. I should demur to this expensive proceeding as unnecessary, believing English sufficient for ourselves and Latin for all other nations, did not the price at which the work is issued show that the author is totally regardless of pecuniary compensation; indeed we are told, and I readily believe it, that the plates alone absorb the entire price of the volume. This principle of ignoring profit seems to per- vade the whole of Mr. Stainton’s literary labours. We accept this as a generous act in each individual instance: we feel indebted to Mr. Stainton for selling us a handsome volume at the mere cost of colouring the plates; but how will it act hereafter? what effect will be produced by comparing this price with that of future works pub- Notices of New Books. 4931 lished by entomologists who can neither give their time nor their money to the public? — These remarks are statistical, economical, general: now for a remark entomological. So little is known of the larve of our Micros in general, and of our Nepticule in particular, that the entomologist eagerly seizes on every scrap of information respecting them. I sought at once to devour and digest the store of facts which I expected to find recorded on these minims of Lepidoptera; but I rose from the investi- gation somewhat dissatisfied. My readers shall judge whether reason- ably so. For the larve of the genus Nepticula Mr. Stainton gives this general definition :— “The larve are especially distinguished by the absence of true horny legs, and the undeveloped condition of the membranous legs, which here serve alike for legs and prolegs, none having the coronet of little hooks; with the exception of the segment behind the head, and the anal segment, each segment bears a pair of these unusual legs, making eighteen in all, although the third pair are less developed than the others, and more easily overlooked.”—p. 2. The word “ distinguished” appears susceptible of improvement or qualification: they are distinguished from Macro-Lepidoptera by this character, but my eyes greatly deceive me if they are not by this very character associated with other mining Micros; but my objection is not confined to what may very possibly be a mere error in the choice of words. The criticism I am about to make touches a ques- tion of fact. Waiving the rule which I believe to be absolute, “ that no winged insect can have more than six legs in any of its states,” I admit that these six may be entirely wanting, or may be reduced to so rudimentary a state as to assume the appearance of a mere point, or even of a fold in the skin; and I admit also that the ventral adhering disks may, like analogous disks on the head or throat of fishes, or like the prostrate belly of mollusks, serve the purpose of legs as far as regards prehension, and, in some degree, locomotion ; nevertheless, experience teaches that there is an orderly disposition, a general rule, for the location of both disks and legs as regards the segments on which they may occur. The larvee of Lepidoptera have thirteen segments ; No. 1 is the head; Nos. 2, 3 and 4 bear the legs; No.5 is without appendages ; Nos. 6 to 12 bear the disks; and No. 13 has two appendages, infinitely various in structure and function in different genera and families. Now the disks are liable to disappear from, or to become rudimentary on, the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th segments; but they are not liable to appear on the 5th, and the asser- 4932 Notices of New Books. tion that legs or disks appear on this segment requires to be received, or rather to be scutinized, with the greatest caution. It is somewhat remarkable that two only of the figures of larvae represent them in a position to exhibit these anomalously placed legs or disks: these are the larve of plagicolella and septembrella, figs. 1 and 2 of Plate IV., and it is still more remarkable that these figures tally with my pre- viously conceived opinion, and are at variance with Mr. Stainton’s description: in both instances the fifth segment is represented as totally devoid of all appendages. The late William Wing—and it always gives me a melancholy pleasure to mention the name of that painstaking and amiable naturalist—was too accurate to have made an error in these instances, so that I cannot avoid the conclusion that Mr. Stainton’s diagnosis requires revision. In conclusion, I may sincerely say that, willing as Iam to point out error, real or supposed,—to mention faults that I conceive to be suscep- tible of improvement,—I consider this first volume of the ‘ Natural History of the Tineina’ to be a most valuable and praiseworthy pro- duction, and that its author is deserving of our warmest thanks. ‘The Microscope, and its application to Vegetable Anatomy and Physiology. By Dr. WermMann Scoacut. Edited by FREDERICK CurreEY, M.A. Second Edition, considerably enlarged, with Numerous I]lustrations. London: Highley, Fleet Street. 1855. Fcap. 8vo, 202 pp. letter-press, 180 woodcuts. WE spoke so favourably of the first edition of this work that it were needless repetition to express a second time our opinion in its favour. The editor shall himself describe the difference between the second edition and the first. “The rapid sale of the first edition of this translation has rendered a second necessary ; and I wish to direct attention very briefly to the points in which the present edition differs from the preceding. Four chapters have been added at the beginning of the book; the first of which relates to some elementary principles of Optics essential to a proper comprehension of the Microscope; the second contains a description of different kinds of English Microscopes, including, as far as is necessary, the details of their different parts; the third con- ‘tains an account of the accessory apparatus and chemical re-agents necessary for microscopical investigations in Botany; and the fourth relates to the preservation of specimens. I have myself added these Chapters, with a view of rendering the work more complete as a Notices of New Books. 4933 Manual for English Students, and am, therefore, responsible for the contents of them, with the exception of the list of chemical re-agents in Chapter III., which is to be found in the original work. Besides the addition of the above four chapters, I have been furnished by Dr. Schacht with a quantity of new matter in manuscript, being the result of his investigations since 1852, and this new matter has been incorporated in the text; the present edition is, therefore, considerably in advance of the original work. At the suggestion of Dr. Schacht, I have added the Chapters 1X., X. and XI., which contain an in- teresting account of the embryogeny of the Conifere, and are a translation of a portion of a work published by him in the course of last summer, entitled ‘ Beitrage zur Anatomie und Physiologie der Gewachse.’ Chapters VII. and VIII. of the first edition, which related to drawing and to the preservation of objects, have been omitted; but the student will find what is necessary upon these points, under the head of ‘ Delineating Apparatus, in Chapter IIL, and in Chapter 1V., which treats of the preservation of specimens.” It will be observed that several chapters are now introduced which occupy an analogous position as regards the microscope to that existing between the Exhibition at Paris and the locomotive which drew us there: the microscope and the locomotive are the means, the structure of Coniferze and the Exhibition are the ends. Notwith- standing this, we like the introduction of a scientific subject into a work of this kind; we commend every attempt to give a right direction to the microscopic mind, which is but too apt to degenerate into the mere curiosity-shop. ‘A Handbook to the Marine Aquarium; containing Practical Instructions for Constructing, Stocking and Maintaining a Tank, and for collecting Plants and Animals.” By Puxi.ip Henry Gossk, A..S. London: Van Voorst. 1855. 12mo, 48 pp. letter-press: price 2s. 6d. Tus little book is sufficiently explained by the preceding very com- prehensive title and the following brief and explanatory preface :— “'The increasing popularity of the ‘ Marine Aquarium’ demands a Handbook of Practical Instructions for establishing and maintaining it, and I am probably the most proper person to write such a book. Perhaps it might have been sufficient to refer inquirers to my volume on the subject; but the price of that work, arising mainly from the costliness of its illustrations, puts it beyond the power of many persons, 4934 Notices of New Books. who yet desire to keep marine animals. The main portion of that volume is, moreover, occupied with the habits and manners of the tenants in [? of | an aquarium. “The concluding chapter of that work has formed the ground of the present handbook. ‘The whole, however, has been re-written, and copious additions have been made, bringing it up to the present state of our experience. The price at which it is issued will, it is hoped, bring it within the reach of all.” ‘ Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan and the Adjacent Coasts of Borneo.’ By James Morttey, of Labuan, and Lewis LLEWELLYN Di.tiwyy, F.L.S., &c. London: Van Voorst. 1855. Part I. Fcap. 4to, 62 pp. letter-press; 10 coloured plates. THE objects and scope of this truly beautiful work are .thus set forth in the prospectus: — “The residence of Mr. Motley in Labuan affords himself and Mr. Dillwyn, the authors of the proposed ‘ Contributions,’ an oppor- tunity of making themselves acquainted with the natural products of that island ; and believing that the nature of its Fauna is by no means thoroughly known to zoologists, and that the habits of the animals constituting that Fauna have been but little observed, and also con- sidering that such information respecting them as they have already obtained, and shall probably again obtain, may prove an acceptable contribution to the science of Zoology, they are induced to offer to naturalists the forthcoming publication. “It is intended that the ‘ Contributions’ shall contain descriptions of such animals, both Vertebrate and Invertebrate, as inhabit the island; these will be accompanied with original notes on their habits and other particulars connected with their natural history. TIllustra- tions will be given of such animals as it may appear to be desirable should be figured, of such more especially as are new, or of which figures are not easily obtainable. As it is expected that the work will extend over several parts, the contents of which must depend upon the specimens and notes from time to time obtained, it will be im- possible to adopt any regular order of arrangement; it will, however, be the endeavour of the authors to make each part as complete in itself as the circumstances will admit of. It is hoped that two or three parts will be published annually. Each part will contain about five sheets of letter-press and ten or twelve coloured plates: the price will be 10s. 6d. Notes of interest which may be obtained subsequently to Notices of New Books. 4935 the publication of any parts, and which refer to animals contained in them, will be given in the part next ensuing.” The contents of Part I. are as follows :— Class Mammatia. — Order CHEIROPTERA, Cynopterus Horsfieldii. Order INsEctTivora, Sorex Grayii. Order Ropentia, Pteromys me- lanopis, Sciurus vittatus, Sciurus modestus, Sciurus rufoniger. Order Rominanti4, Tragulus Kanchil. Class AvEs.—Order Raptores, Phodilus badius. Order PassERres, Macropteryx Klecko, Macropteryx comatus, Hirundo pacifica, Eury- stomus pacificus, Halcyon Chloris, Halcyon lilacina, Ceyx tridactyla, Merops badius, Nectarinia pectoralis, Nectarinia javanica, Nectarinia cingalensis, Diceum croceoventer, Diceum coccineum, Orthotomus sepium, Copsyphus Stricklandii, Motacilla cinereocapilla, Melacopteron coronatum, Pitta cyanoptera, Turdus modestus, Irena puella, Calornis Panayensis, Gracula javanensis, Amadina sinensis. Order ScANSOREs, Paleornis malaccensis, Psittaculus galgulus, Megalaima versicolor, Hemilophus leucogaster. Order CoLumB&, Treron vernans, Carpo- phaga luctuosa. Order GALLINZ%, Megapodius Cumingii. Order GRALL&, Ardea purpurea, Ardea garzetta. Class Reptit1a.— Order Saura, Hydrosaurus Salvator, Tiliqua rufescens, Platyurus Schniderianus, Gecko monarchus, Draco volans, Gonyocephalus chameleontina, Bronchocela cristatella. Order Oput- pia, Trimesurus maculatus, Trimesurus subannulatus, Elaps furcatus, Dendrophis Paradisei, Dendrophis picta, Dryiophis prasina, Dipsas dendrophila, Dipsas fusca, Calamaria brachyorrhos. This summary is given to show the range of subjects treated of; each animal appears to be carefully described, and to almost every description is appended some account of the habits of the species: many of them are highly interesting. The coloured figures by Wolff and Ford are admirable. The work is fitted alike for the sanctum of the student and the table of the drawing-room. Now and then, when space can be found, an extract or two, touching the manners and customs of the Labuan animals, will be transferred to these pages. ‘The Natural History Review. No. VIII., dated October, 1855; price 2s. 6d. London: Highley. Tue following papers, read before Irish Societies, appear in the present number: the titles will sufficiently indicate that they have no especial bearing on Zoology :— 4936 Notices of New Books. ‘On the Advantage to Botany of Local Lists, and Notes with reference to the Algz of the East Coast of Ireland.’ By Gilbert Saunders. ‘ List of Marine Algz collected at Skerries, near the Northern Limit of the proposed Dublin District, in the Summer of 1854,’ By Gilbert Saunders. ‘On the Effects of the Severe Frost on Plants in the Neighbourhood of Sligo.’ By the Right Hon. John Wynne. ‘Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, including the Trans- actions of the Microscopical Society of London, Edited by Epwin LankestER, M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., and Grorce Buskx, F.R.C.S.E., F.R.S., F.L.S. London: Highley. No. XIII., dated October, 1855; price 4s. THE contents of the October number are as follows :— ‘Notice of some New Species of British Freshwater Diatomacez.’ By William Carpenter, M.D., F.R.S.E. ‘An Account of the Structure and Relations of Sagitta bipunctata.’ By G. Busk, F.R.S. ‘On the Magnifying Power of Short Spaces, illustrated by the Transmission of Light through Minute Apertures.’ By John Gorham, M.R.C.S.E., &c. ‘Notes and Observations on the Sap-circulation of Plants. By F. H. Wenham. ‘ Hartig on the Phytozoa of Antheridia.’” By F. Currey, Esq., M.A. On a Universal Indicator for Microscopes. By J. W. Bailey. ‘On the Impregnation and Germination of Alge. By M. Pring- sheim. [Abridged from the Reports of the Berlin Academy. | ‘On Spherozoum, Meyer (Thalassicolla, Husley), Noctiluca and the Polycystine.’ By Professor Miiller. [Translated from the Report of the Berlin Academy, April 19, 1855.] ‘On the Development of the Spermatozoids in Torrea vitrea.’ By M. A. de Quatrefages. [Translated from the Annales des Sciences Naturelles,’ 4th Series, vol. ii. p. 152.] ‘On the Influence of Dilute-Sulphuric Acid on the Deposit Layers of the Cell-Wall in its Earliest Condition.” By Dr. T. Hartig. [Translated from the Botanical Zeitung, March 30, 1855, p. 222]. ‘On the Cystolites or Calcareous Concretions in the Urticacee and other Plants.’ By H. A. Weddell, Aide-Naturaliste in the Jardin des Notices of New Books. 4937 Plantes. [Translated from the Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 4th Series, vol. 11. p. 267.] | Notes and Correspondence :—The Circulation in Aqueous Plants ; by Mr. James Western. On the Starch Grain; by O. Maschke. Aperture of Object-glasses; by Mr. F. H. Wenham. On the Structure of the Frond of Polysiphonia fastigiata. Further Remarks on the Fly’s Foot; by Mr. J. Hepworth. Microscopic Preparations. Proceedings of Societies :— Microscopical. Zoophytology. “Annals and Magazine of Natural History” No. 95, dated November, 1855; price 2s. 6d. London: Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. Tue November number of this Journal contains the following papers :— ‘Notes on some New or little-known Marine Animals.’ By Philip Henry Gosse, A.L.S. ‘On the Injurious Effect of Excess or Want of Heat in the Aquarium.’ By Robert Warington, Esq. ‘On the Mechanism of Aquatic Respiration, and on the Structure of the Organs of Breathing in Invertebrate Animals.’ By Thomas Williams, M.D. Lond. ‘Notice and Description of a New Species of Spider.’ By the Rev. Hamlet Clark, M.A. ‘Observations on the Habits of the Stickleback.’ By Robert Warington, Esq. ‘The Vegetable Individual in its relation to Species.’ By. Dr. Alexander Braun. [Extracted from Silliman’s Journal for Sep- tember, 1855.] Bibliographical Notice :—‘ Glaucus ; or, the Wonders of the Shore.’ By Charles Kingsley. Proceedings of Societies :—Linnean, Zoological. Miscellaneous :—Bohemian Forests and Peat Bogs; by Dr. Hoch- stetter [extracted from the Proceedings of the Imperial Geological Institute of Vienna, January 23, 1855]. Occurrence of Diodonta fragilis at Weymouth; by William Thompson, Esq. Description of a Second Species of the Genus Procnias; by Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A. [extracted from the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, November 14, 1854]. Descriptions of some New Species of Birds; XIV. Cc 4938 Quadrupeds. by the Vicomte du Bus de Gisignes [extracted from the Bulletin de PAcademie Royale de Belgique, 1855, vol. xxii. pp. 153—156]. Description of a New Species of Petrogale; by Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R:S., V.-P.Z.S., &c. [extracted from the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, November 14, 1854]. Removal of Vespertilio emarginatus from the List of British Bats, and addition of Vespertilio dasycnemus to it. By RoBERT F. Tomes, Esq. On a former occasion (Zool. 4357) I collected and arranged such notices of this species as fell within my reach, but was at the time unable to come to any very satisfactory conclusion, yet felt perfectly certain that more than one species had' been described under the specific name of emarginatus. Since that time an opportunity has occurred of inspecting the rich stores in the Museum of Leyden, where are three specimens of this species—one taken near Jiége, another at Abbeville, and the third is simply labelled “ France.” All these are exactly similar to the ones I have before described, from the collection of M. Verreaux, and wholly unlike anything I have seen any account of in Great Britain. M.Temminck’s figure is certainly taken from that of Geoffroy, and is by no means a good representation of the species; and I am somewhat puzzled to know how he can use the expression, that to a certain extent it resembles the V. mystacinus, with which he says it can easily be confounded. Were it not for the circumstance of specimens having been at various times taken near Abbeville, the locality from whence Geoffroy obtained examples, I should very greatly doubt if the figure given by the latter naturalist were not taken from a specimen of V. mystacinus ; certainly the figure of the cranium exactly agrees with that of the latter species. The specimens before alluded to as occurring in War- wickshire are evidently similar to examples of V. mystacinus in the Leyden Museum, having an unusually ferruginous colour, and with the ears more notched than usual. I cannot help thinking that it was from a similar specimen that Geoffroy took his figure and description. TI still think that the figure given by the Prince of Musignano was taken from V. Nattereri. The figures and descrip- tions before given (Zool. 4357) will serve to distinguish this species, not only from all British, but from all other European species. Notwithstanding that Baron de Selys Longchamps speaks of the species as abundant, it appears probable that it is unknown, except Quadrupeds. 4939 in France, Holland and Belgium. In Holland M. Temminck says it is rare, and confined to the northern parts, not appearing abroad until dark, and taking its food over the surface of stagnant water; but it is somewhat remarkable that the Museum of that country does not con- tain a native specimen. In Belgium the Museums of Antwerp and Ghent do not contain examples, although they have other European species. Our Museums do not possess it, nor is it enumerated in the catalogue of the Mammalia of the Frankfort Museum, made complete up to the present time by the kindness of a friend, who has added to the catalogue all the species supplied to the Museum since its publi- cation. Indeed, the omission of the species by Wagner, in his continuation of Schreiber’s work, would seem to indicate that it is not known in Germany. With respect to the specimen mentioned by Mr. Buckton, I have since had an opportunity of seeing it at the British Museum, and at once gave it as my opinion that it was a young example of V. dasyc- nemus, Bote, the V. limnophilus of M. Temminck’s monograph, an opinion I before expressed from reading Mr. Buckton’s description. This species appears to be very common in the vicinity of Leyden, and was pointed out to me, flying in considerable numbers over the surface of the water, by Dr. Schlegel, as we were walking in the evening beneath the fine trees bordering the canal that runs round the town. This and the common Noctule were the only species we saw about Leyden. | The result of these examinations tends to the removal of V. emargi- natus from the British list, and the addition of V. dasycnemus to it. The following description of Vespertilio dasycnemus, added at the request of the Editor, is taken partly from that given by M. Temminck, and partly from notes made by myself from specimens in the Leyden Museum :— _VESPERTILIO DASYCNEMUS, Bote, Isis (1825). De Selys-Longch. Etudes Micromam., p. 139 (1839). Keys. u. Blas. Die Wirb. Europ., p. xvi. and p. 55 (1840). De Selys, Faune Belge, p. 19 (1842). V. limnophilus, Temm. Mon. Mam. tome ii. p. 176 (1835 to 1841). V. emarginatus, Buckton, Linn. Trans. (Dec. 1853). Ears of medium size, oval, with the lobe at the base of the outer edge; but moderately developed, varying somewhat in this respect: 4940 Quadrupeds. tragus nearly straight and tapering, but with the extreme lip rounded. A very small portion of the end of the tail free from the membrane. Wing-membrane springing from the superior articulation of the meta- tarsus, thus leaving the foot wholly free. Fur soft, silky; all the upper parts and sides of the neck, in the male, of a darkish mouse-gray colour; in the female, a little more tinged with brown: chin, cheeks, throat and all the under parts of the body with the fur nearly black at the base, tipped with grayish white; abdomen nearly pure white; a spot of brownish ash-colour marks the insertion of the wings. The whitish tips of the hairs are more or less extended, according to the age of the individual. Dimensions. TEMMINCK. BucktTon. Old. Young of the year. Head and body . . 2in. ina. ane ads 3 in. 74 lines. MR Fd gal ple ee Sk Y big ht Say Sueretatmes$. 4 2 oiaidiy 6B. iy, de Ay Gee ELRDANGC | oo acpi lcaeg hd gg (8 5 D: ayzt 2 oad ene A® 3 Seg Although the discrepancy in the dimensions here given may appear considerable, it must be borne in mind that Mr. Buckton’s specimen is not perfectly adult, the finger-joints still exhibiting cartilaginous articulations, and the fingers themselves being obviously shorter than they would be in the adult state: hence would arise the less expanse. The length of the head and body is only of value when unaltered by the stuffer, 7.e. when the animal is fresh; but the most valuable and constant measurement in the animals of this order (more particularly the insectivorous section of it), is that of the fore arm, which usually arrives to near its maximum size before the other parts have made more than an approximation to theirs. I may here add that it is rare to meet with any considerable differences in this part in the same species when fully adult, unless, as is sometimes the case, a particular locality influences the size of the species in all its parts; e.g. the bats (as well as the other Mammals) of Ceylon and South India are smaller than the same species in other parts of India, and consequently will have the fore arm shorter, but they are there, as in other places, individually similar in that particular. RoseErr F. Tomes. Welford, near Stratford-on-Avon, November 15, 1855. a ee Birds. 4941 A Glance over the Cliffs of Moher (County Clare, Ireland).—We bestowed uur horses within the accommodations so considerately provided for the traveller, and then we slowly ascended the gradual slope, all unconscious of what lay beyond. But how shall I describe the noble sight that burst upon us all at once as we topped the rise of un- dulating turf strewn here and there with yellow mountain-pansies? The feeling at first of familiarity, as if it had been a scene we had visited before, and then the gradual awe stilling the heart, as it broke upon the soul in all its reality and magnificence. The dark wall that has defied the wasting ocean beyond the reach of history or of man— bulwark of earth—champion of the land! and the white birds, attendant spirits of the precipice, a whirling maze beneath, around, above, all with ceaseless clamour of affec- tion and anxiety—nor without reason. Marked you yon gang of men sitting in a group, who seem so quietly at home, so thoroughly familiar with the wonders of the place? they are not there for nothing. Let us approach them: the coil of polished well-worn rope, the crowbar fixed firmly in the soil—the triple support of confederated hands: it leads to a lower platform, and there you may see the reapers of that extra- ordinary harvest as they sit, each ready to take his turn of duty. The poor kittiwakes pay a heavy toll—eggs from the nest and young birds from the rock-ledges, noosed, as of old, with rod and snare by the dexterous fowler—they are drawn up by twenties, tucked under the belt of that man now hvisted up a mass of feathers. And why con- demn them? theirs is the daring attractive life of the plunderer—appointed check of nature: theirs, too, are the qualities—no mean ones—of courage, readiness and activity. So fare ye well, brave cliffsmen! at your adventurous trade, be the rope ever strong and the hand firm that speed you on your perilous way. Close by, the cliff towers above 900 feet of sheer abyss, and a steady eye may dare survey that awful gulf over which it is related that once two greyhounds were hurried by excess of ardour in the chase, and over which an adventurous spirit may himself be swung, the darling and the wonder of those rugged climbers, and it is an exploit worthy of the trial, to hang in daring glee, with none but sea-fow] to whisper to his palpitating heart, to hang in space the aérial conqueror of birds, while from above the careful guardians of the rope cheer and encourage, with all the generous approval which a seaman will evince when trusting the helm to no faint stranger’s hand. It is a deed of enterprise worthy the zeal of an ornithologist. A little further, let us look elsewhere at the fluttering clamorous gulls and circling auks that start every moment from the cliff and describe short circuits, with now a succession of rapid strokes and now an even swinging flight, the guillemots browner, the razorbills blacker of the two, and the lesser puffin also (called ‘‘ parrot” here) tunnels his way to a secure retreat in the turf of the slopes and ledges: and the chough you may chance tu see, and the jackdaw and the rock dove, with earnest beat of its hurrying wings ; aud they will tell you of the eagle (7. albicil/a) that shuns approach, and lays his eyrie beneath some overhanging arch, secure from plunder himself though he may not spare. And the gallant peregrine, relic of chivalry, as thou wert its com- peer, crossed he not our sight as we skirted the edge—well known by his stalwart form and knightly moustache? How I rejoiced in the absence of the murderous gun, else were the temptation perhaps too great. So gaze down once more ere we go; note the herring gulls, of superior size and hoarser challenge; and on the black rocks, against which the foam is spirting high, observe the great cormorants—seeming at this distance no bigger than crows—till you see one start from his green repose and scurry along the surface with no flagging pinion. And then the long sea line, which you think you might look ever from so high a stand, and far in the distance the lonely isles of Arran, 4942 Birds. wrapped haughtily in clouds, all make a prospect of surpassing beauty, all combine to fill brimful the eye and heart and mind. Carry, too, the eye to that isolated pyramid below us, on which the sea-birds swarm tier above tier, smiling defiance to the fowler from their fortress, as yet inviolate. Is not your head dizzy? you seldom looked down so far beneath your feet as its summit, and yet that is but half the depth a pebble must traverse to reach the water. Is that a seal? your guide hesitates, for it is no easy matter to distinguish him from the rock on which he sits; but they are common enough most days. Turn, then, your attention westward, ye naturalists and sportsmen that like something larger than gnats or diatoms for your quarry. Here is a noble field; not Scotland only is worthy an excursion. There are fewer species of birds perhaps, and less variety breeding in the inland lakes of Ireland, but for one grand feature— the precipice breasting the Atlantic—this place is well worthy of your notice, and the Trish Highlands offer, too, a little-explored country.— Hesperus. Notices of Rarer Birds about Barnsley.—In the natural history of this country, as various species, at no distant period only rare by comparison with others, are now becoming positively so, any notice of rare occurrences possesses an additional, though painful interest, from the consideration that opportunities to study the living subject, in its natural state, are growing less and less, in proportion as the over-anxious desire to possess collections of preserved specimens is encouraged. Of the rarer birds noticed during the present autumn a bare enumeration is here given :—The hooded crow was obtained on the 9th of November; the kestrel, sparrow hawk, longeared owl, brown owl and white owl are the principal birds of prey noted in October ; a pair of nightjars from the neighbouring mocrs in September; and in the last week of August several ringed plovers or dotterells (Charadrius hiaticula), the green sandpiper (Totanus ochropus) and the black tern (Sterna fissipes), which proved a young bird of the year; the upper parts gray margined with brown, and the white collar beautifully distinct, were observed, and some shot, on the newly-formed island in Worsborough Reservoir, a place well adapted for water-fow], which would add a new and living grace to its rich landscapes, if per- mitted to come and go unmolested. ‘The last three species are the rarest of those named, but not so rare to this part and to the entire kingdom as the little auk, which occurred near this town last November, about which time the scaup duck and the tufted duck were obtained in this neighbourhood.— Thomas Lister; Post Office, Barnsley, Yorkshire, November 9, 1855. On the Habits of Paleornis Malaccensis.—These handsome birds are not uncommon in Labuan; and are to be seen im the early morning flying about above the tops of the trees in small flocks of six or eight, uttering in their flight a loud, quick scream, very much like the note of the common swift: they are particularly fond of the fruit of the Dryabalanops camphora, which they split open, and eat the curious crumpled coty- ledons, in spite of their pungent taste and smell of turpentine. The specimen from which the above description is taken was shot when feeding upon the seeds of the Dillenia speciosa, a shrub about ten or fifteen feet high, and it is the only instance in which we have known them venture so near the ground: when first seen he was busy opening the capsules of the plant, and scraping out the seeds with his beak, never omitting to clip off at a single bite every one he emptied ; having done this he dropped himself under the twig he sat on, swinging by one leg to watch it fall: when it reached the ground he testified his satisfaction by a low chirp, and, giving himself a vigorous swing, caught the perch with his other foot, and walked gravely along to another cap- sule, not hopping, but placing one foot before the other in a most odd-fashioned way. Birds. 4943 Another of these parrakeets, which had been pinioned by a shot without being other- wise injured, was placed in a cage, where, soon finding his two long tail-feathers to be an incumbrance, he deliberately turned round, pulled them out, and then walked round the cage evidently to try the effect of his contrivance.—Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan. On the Habits of Diceum croceoventer in Confinement.—These little birds are not uncommon in Labuan, and have something the habits of the English Regulus; they haunt low brushwood, and continually utter a low, shrill chirp; they are very fearless, allowing themselves to be almost touched before they take to flight: the Malay name, which signifies spark-bird, is very appropriate, as when darting about among the bushes the cock bird really looks as bright as a flash of fire. The nest of this species is abopt the shape and size of a goose’s egg, and is suspended by the small end from some’ slender twig of a tall tree; it is built of fine green moss and a sort of brown byssus, and lined with some white fibre and a few small feathers: one of these nests was found on a tree which was felled in the jungle; all the young birds, however, except one, had been killed by the fall: the survivor was brought to Mrs. Motley, who succeeded, by great care, in bringing it up, feeding it at first upon rice and banana pulp; as soon as it was strong enough it was placed in a small cage; though very restless, never being for one moment still, it was perfectly tame and fearless, and would sit upon the finger without attempting to fly away, and though its whole body, feathers and all, might have been shut up in a walnut, it would peck at a finger held towards it with great fierceness: for a long time it would only take food from the hand, but afterwards, when food was given it, it dropped and shook its wings rapidly, as we see a hen partridge oceasionally do. At first its beak was short, straight and sharp, but as it grew its form gradually changed to that of the adult Diceums; it also changed its diet, altogether refusing rive, and only occasionally taking plantain; for some weeks it fed exclusively upon sugar and water, which it sucked up like a humming-bird; it was very fond of bathing in a large shell full of water placed in its cage.—Id. Late stay of Swallows in 1855.—Swallows remained unusually late here; I saw them playing about on Sunday, the 11th of this month [November], since which they appear to have departed: they have been known on a former occasion to have remained until the 23rd. I am right in calling them swallows and not martins, as the brown patch on the throat was clearly seen with a glass.—George Guyon; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, November 20, 1855. The Bohemian Waxwing in Norfolk.—One of these elegant but most uncertain visitors to our coast was shot, a few days since, at Hofton, in this county. It is rather singular that throughout the last long and severe winter not a single waxwing was met with amongst many rarities.—H. Stevenson; Norwich, November 15, 1855. _ The Palombiére of Bagnéres de Bigorre-—When at Bagnéres de Bigorre, in the department of the Hautes Pyrenées, in October last, I paid a very interesting visit to the Palombiére, which is about three miles distant from that place. I had previously seen the Palombarii at La Cava, in the kingdom of Naples, but only in the -winter, when they were not at work, and I had never rightly understood the method in which this chasse was conducted. The Palombiére of Bagnéres consists of a row of beech- trees, running half a mile or more in an irregular line along the brow of the hill which forms the north-eastern border of the Vallée de Campan. These trees are planted in clumps of threes or fours, leaving here and there, at intervals, open spaces of from twelve to twenty yards in breadth: these open spaces are occupied by long nets, 4944 Birds. which are raised by pulleys (attached to the ends of poles affixed to the trees) to a height of perhaps forty feet from the ground. At each of the top corners of the nets a stune is tied, so that, when the string which passes through the pulley is let loose, they fall quickly to the ground. In front of the line of trees, some thirty or forty yards, stand several very tall slender poles,—raised, by splicing two or three together, - to upwards of eighty or ninety feet in height,—and a-top of which are placed rudely- formed cradles occupied by boys, who, raised aloft in the air at this apparently dangerous elevation, play an important part in the proceedings: they are furnished with several roughly-carved flat pieces of wood, made something like a pair of wings with a handle at the end, called eperviers, i.e. hawks. The pigeons arrive from the Plains of France, and come up the slope of the hill to cross over into the Valley of Campan, on their route southwards through the Pyrenees: they are of two species— called there Palombes (Columba palumbus, our common woodpigeon) and Ramiers (Columba enas, the stockdove). Directly one of the boys in the boxes aloft perceives any pigeons approaching he gives a peculiar signal of warning to the fowlers, and everything is made in readiness. On the birds approaching more nearly he launches into the air one of his eperviers ; this falls with a whirring sound, such as I suppose a hawk would cause by his stoop. The unfortunate pigeons, thinking the arch-enemy is nigh, immediately fly down low towards the ground, and on seeking to pass through the spaces left in the row of trees, come against the nets placed to intercept them. The fowler then lets go his string, which passes through the pulley, and the net and birds come to the ground together. The season for taking pigeons in this manner begins on the 10th of September and lasts till the feast of St. Martin (October 11th). During the whole of this time the fowlers never leave their posts from dawn to dusk ; their success is naturally very various. Sometimes they take many hundreds in one day, sometimes very few, and sometimes none. ‘The birds pass at a greater elevation when the weather is fine and clear, and are then, of course, more likely to pass above the nets. The Palombes, although more numerous than the Ramiers, always fly higher, and are wilder and more difficult to take. ‘The ordinary price of the former in the market at Bagnéres is about twenty sous, of the latter only about sixteen sous a-pair. There is said to be no particular time of day at which the flights are more numerous; the only successful take I saw took place between 12 and 1 o'clock, p.m. A naturalist resident at Bagnéres de Bigorre (who has an excellent collection of all the animal and vegetable productions of that part of the world) tells me that the ring dove never breeds there, but passes northwards, in the spring, in pairs, and (as we have seen) returns southwards, in the autumn, in small flights. This is very different from what is generally, I believe, the case in the British isles, where the ring dove, although collecting in flocks in the winter, is found in most localities all the year through.—Philip Lutley Selater ; 49, Pall Mall, November 12, 1855. On the Habits of Megapodius Cumingii.—In Labuan these birds are not un- common, and are said to be principally confined to smali islands, to such more especially as have sandy beaches; they are very rarely to be seen, being extremely shy, and frequenting dense and flat parts of the jungle, where the ratans grow, and where the luxuriance of the vegetation renders concealment easy. The Malays snare them by forming long thick fences in unfrequented parts of the jungle, in which, at certain intervals, they leave openings, where they place traps; the birds run through the jungle in search of food, and, coming to this fence, run along it till they find one of the openings, through which they push their way, and are caught in the trap. In 2/2 ¢5- Birds. 4945 walking they lift up their feet very high, and set up their backs, something like Guinea fowls; they frequently make a loud noise, like the screech of a chicken when caught; they are very pugnacious, and fight with great fury by jumping upon one another's backs, and scratching with their long strong claws. Their food principally consists of seeds and insects; the eggs are of a fine dark cream colour and of a very large size, three of them weighing nearly as much as a full-grown bird. According to the account given by the Malays, each bird lays about eight or ten eggs at each time of breeding, and their nests are merely large heaps of shells and rubbish, deposited over the sandy soil, in which the eggs are buried to the depth of about eighteen inches. Since receiving this account, however, we have had an opportunity of inspecting a very large and perfect nest or breeding hill, and found it to be about twenty feet in diameter, and composed of sand, earth and sticks ; it was close to the beach, just within the jungle, and scarcely above high-water mark, and appeared to have been used for many years. The boatmen seemed to have no clew to what part of the hillock con- tained eggs, but said that they were never without some when frequented at all; they sought for nearly half an hour in vain before they found one, and then they found about a dozen together; they were buried at a depth of from one to three feet in an upright position, and the ground about them was astonishingly hard. The eggs thus deposited are left to be hatched by the heat of the sun, and this, the Malays assert, requires between three and four months to complete: those obtained from this heap were brought home and buried in a box of sand, and a month or two afterwards it was discovered that they were all hatched, but that, from neglecting to place them in a proper (i.e. probably an upright) position, the chicks could not get up through the sand, and had all perished. When hatched the chicks are almost entirely fledged, even the long quills being, as the Malays say, “needled.” When first dug out, some of the eggs had lost much of their outer colour, which appeared to have scaled off, leaving only a white chalky shell. Ona former occasion some eggs were brought by the natives, and were buried in a box of sand and exposed to the weather: at the end of about three weeks one of the chicks was hatched; a Malay, who saw it emerge, said that it just shook off the sand and ran away so fast that it was with difficulty caught ; it then appeared to be nearly half-grown, and from the first fed itself without hesitation, scratching and turning up the sand like an old bird. Two more afterwards emerged in the same state. Their eggs are held in such high estimation as fuod, both by natives and Europeans, that one cannot but fear that these interesting birds, though now so abundant, will ere long become scarce.— Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan. Late Stay of Swallows and Martins in 1855.—I perceive that at p. 3753 of the ‘Zoologist, your correspondent, Mr. W. C. Hewitson, remarks, “1 have never before this year had the pleasure of seeing swallows in November,” and he goes on to record the occurrence of four house-martins at Oatlands on the 21st of November, 1852. I have a still more remarkable fact to relate: yesterday (December 6) there were several chimney-swallows flying about my house; the previous night there had been a slight sprinkling of snow in the adjoining country. On the 23rd of November I left the neighbourhood of Uckfield, in Sussex, and at that time there were several house- martins skimming about in front of the house, though the weather was anything but warm.—Edward Vernon Harcourt ; Hastings, December 7, 1855. Late Appearance of the Swallow Tribe.—I observed up to Wednesday last, in this district, extending as far as Helston, flocks of house-martins flying about, and hawking vigorously for insects,— Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, December 1, 1855. XIV. D AQAG Birds. Occurrence of the Sea Eagle (Haliaétus albicilla) in Norfolk—A fine specimen of this noble bird was shot at the beginning of this month near Ormesby Broad. It proves to be a female; apparently, by the beak and plumage, in its second FOURS HT, Stevenson ; Norwich, December 12, 1855. Note on the Hawfinch breeding in Norfolk.—I am indebted to Mr. King, bailiff to Lord Wodehouse, at Kimberley, for the following particulars respecting these birds: no doubt careful observation would discover them in many localities as suited to their habits, although, as Mr. Doubleday ubserves of those in Epping Forest, their extreme shyness and quick movements render them very difficult of approach. About the latter end 6f June last Mr. King, who lives close by the park, observed an old bird of this Species and three young ones on a greengage-tree in his garden: on fetching his gun he succeeded in shooting one of the young birds, but has never seen anything of the others since. This was the first time he had observed them during the summer; in sharp weather he has frequently seen them on some large whitethorn trees in the park, a very favourite resort of the hawfinch. I have examined the captured specimen, which agrees very nearly indeed with Mr. Yarrell’s description of the immature plumage; the head, neck and upper parts yellowish olive-brown and the throat yellow, but with no apparent indication of the black patch common to both sexes in an adult state. It is to be hoped that another summer may bring further proof in the appearance of a nest amongst the whitethorn bushes. I am aware of no previous record of their breeding in this county.—Jd., December 10, 1855. Occurrence of the Great Plover and Spotted Crake in Devonshire.—On the 24th of last month I bought an adult specimen of the great plover or thick-knee (Gdienemus crepitans) in the Plymouth market, which was killed in the neighbourhood. TI believe it is not generally known, but which from repeated examination I have found to be the case, that the enlargement of the knee-joints and tarsi of this species is confined to young birds only. A similar peculiarity of formation I have also observed to exist in the legs of the young green sandpiper. A fine example of the spotted crake (Crew por- zana) was obtained in the vicinity of Plymouth a short time since, and others were seen in the same locality.— John Gatcombe ; Wyndham Place, Plymouth, December 3, 1855. Occurrence of the Stilt Plover (Himantopus melanopterus) at Bosham, in Sussex.— A magnificent specimen of this very rare bird was shot and preserved during the present month at Bosham, in Sussex, by Mr. A. Cheeseman: its legs measured eight inches in length, and its weight was but 44 ounces.—Hdward Newman. Occurrence of the Velvet Scoter at the Land’s E'nd.—A specimen of this duck, in very perfect plumage, was captured about ten days siuce at Whitsand Bay, near the Land’s End: it is a bird of rare occurrence on the Cornish coast.— Edward Hearle Rodd ; Penzance, November 26, 1855. . Remarkable Flight of Woodcocks.—The continuance of the north-east winds to the end of October, with a morning moon, brought a large flight of woodcocks in these parts, and I may say pretty generally throughout Cornwall. A young farmer in the parish of St. Buryan, within a few miles of the Land’s End, killed fifty-four in one week, and vast numbers were killed in various directions throughout the district. By way of showing the extent of this great southern migratory movement, I may mention that Captain Tower, who lately was on a visit to Mr. Smith at Trescoe Abbey, Scilly, shot in one day thirty-nine woodcocks. All these early great flights of woodcocks consist, I have no doubt, of the main body, whose destination is the remoter southern Jatitudes ; some, no doubt, remaining in the northern countries. ‘The principal bulk, Birds—Fishes. AQAT however, of those found throughout our shooting season are made up of smaller flights afterwards; and these again, when our winters are very severe, are driven down from all parts of England to our most southern and western peninsula, as I have often remarked (as last year), in the months of January and February.—Zd., November 12, 1855. Note on the Iceland Gull and the Shore Lark in Norfolk.—During the first week of this month a male specimen of the shore lark (Alauda alpestris), assuming the winter plumage, and a nearly adult female of the Iceland gull (Larus leucopterus), were shot at Holkham, in this county.—H. Stevenson ; Norwich, December 10, 1855. Question respecting the American Scaup said to have been taken at Scarborough-—In indexing the ‘ Zoologist’ fur 1855, my attention was attracted by a record forwarded by Mr. Roberts, of Scarborough (Zool. 4631), of the occurrence of the American scaup near that town; but the record is unfortunately unaccompanied by any description or further particulars. The bird to which this name was applied appears to have been considered by the late Mr. Vigors as an American variety of the common scaup (Anas marila of Pennant), and, if proved distinct from that bird, Mr. Vigors proposed to call it Fuligula marilvides. At this point all our knowledge of the bird appears to cease. Mr. Yarrell, however, gives, in his ‘ History of British Birds, vol. iii. p. 247, under the same name, Fuligula mariloides or American scaup, the figure and description of a bird, in the possession of Mr. Doubleday, which was purchased in Leadenhall Market. In August, 1845, Mr. Fisher, then an active correspondent of the ‘ Zoologist, communicated (Zool. 1137) an account of a duck, in the possession of Mr. Gurney, of Norwich, which had occurred on Rollesby Broad, near Great Yarmouth, and which, not appearing referrible to any described species, he supposed a hybrid between the common and white-eyed pochards: the same acute ornithologist subsequently described the same specimen (Zool. 1379) in his ‘ Account of the Birds of Norfolk.” In April, 1847, a third bird was purchased by Mr. Bartlett in a London market, and both that gentle- man and Mr. Fisher agreed that it was of the same species as Mr. Gurney’s; and the three birds, Mr. Doubleday’s, Mr. Gurney’s and Mr. Bartlett’s, were exhibited by Mr. Bartlett on the 13th of the same month, at an evening meeting of the Zvological Society, as a new species of duck which he proposed to call Fuligula ferinoides; and Mr. Fisher published figures and description in the ‘ Zoologist’ for May following, under the name of Paget’s pochard or Fuligula ferinoides (Zool. 1778), a name which all ornithologists have received, and the name of American scaup or Fuligula mari- loides has been removed from the British list. What, then, is the bird thus denomi- nated by Mr. Roberts? Is it Paget’s pochard, or a duck heretofore unknown as British? TI shall consider it a great favour if Mr. Roberts or some other of my correspondents in the North will favour me with a reply —Edward Newman. Fresh-water Fish in Confinement.—With the remarks of your able correspondent, Mr. Newman, upon fish in confinement, I in the main agree; but on one or two points I beg to differ; first, with regard to the timidity of the loach, though undoubtedly it is a shy fish, but it will, with a little attention, become familiar; I have two exceedingly so; they rise and take food from the hand eagerly, and will even allow me to touch them with my finger. I have also kept them for months in a vessel, the sides being made of zinc—for a fresh-water aquarium I do not think it injurious. Again, with respect to the sluggish habits of that pretty fish, the gudgeon, it is, if so. 4948 Fishes. I may express myself, a nocturnal fish—seeking the shade of weeds, stones, &c., during the day—rising into a state of great activity as night approaches, during the greater part of which it swims with as much ease and grace as any of the finny tribe: I have four, one about three inches in length, the others from one to two inches: I have also noticed their fins are free from the attacks of the pugnacious Gasterosteus, and also niy perch do not seem to quarrel with them as with the dace, bleak or carp. The perch thrives remarkably well in confinement, and becomes very tame; its brilliant hues, graceful movements and its beautiful dorsal crest makes it a very attractive fish in the aquarium: svon after their introduction into my tank I was repeatedly struck by the daily decrease of some very small roach and dace, and for a long time was at a loss to account for it, until at length I found one morning that a perch had taken one too large to swallow—the tail of the roach was sticking out from its mouth: I relieved them, and both are now doing well: the perch are shyish during the middle of the day, but very active early in the morning; and in the evening, when at rest, they use their tail as a support, remaining perfectly motionless at an angle of about forty- five degrees, with the tail on a stone, and thus they remain for hours. My collection of fishes includes the bleak, carp, roach, dace, eels, gudgeon, perch, minnows, sticklebacks, tench, loach and gold fish, and all of whom thrive well, and are peculiarly adapted for the fresh-water aquarium.—A. Horace Lloyd ; 19, St. Paul’s Street, New North Road, December 12, 1855. The Great Sea-Serpent.—The sea-serpent having again risen, pheenix-like, from the deep, in the pages of the ‘ Zoologist,’ it may perhaps be pardonable to solicit insertion for the following attempt at explaining his reality, in some at least of the many instances of his reported appearance. Any one who has looked at the preserved remains of the great ribband or scabbard fishes, or who has even read the striking accounts of the huge size they sometimes attain, as well as their extreme rarity, may, like myself, have been thus reminded of those mysterious sea-monsters which are occasionally observed by the unlearned, to be no less a puzzle tv learned opinion. When, too, we know that these fish are supposed often to swim at the surface, and thus to be driven ashore more readily, when the only example of whose healthy life we have a credible account, is described as advancing head above water, and by the undulating movement of his body (Yarrell, vol. i. p. 177), may we not reasonably suppose that there exists other and more gigantic forms of this most interesting race as yet uncaptured, and such as might easily simulate, in the waving of their long dorsal fin, the so-called “ mane” of the great sea-snake.—A. G. More ; London, November, 1855. Observations on the Habits of the Stickleback.—During the early part of the last summer I had the good fortune to observe the whole progress of the various stages in the breeding of the three-spined stickleback (Gusterosteus leturus), which will therefore enable me to complete the notice already published on this subject in the tenth volume of the ‘ Zoologist,’ dated 1852 (Zool. 3633). In the account there given the observations extended to the completion of the nest by the male fish, and it is my intention in the present communication to carry on the details of the progress from that point, premising that the water was the same which had been employed for the original experiments of 1849, and that the fish contained in the aquarium consisted of three sticklebacks, one male and two females, two tench, and a gold-fish. The position selected by the male fish for the construction of the nest was between two plants of Vallisneria spiralis, at the point where the leaves spring from the root, and directly in Fishes. 4949 front of a fragment of limestone which rose behind the plants and acted as a pro- tecting background to the position. The nest being all prepared, exactly as before described, although by another individual, the eggs were deposited, I presume, during the night uf May 8th: this was judged of, not from observance of the act of spawning, but from the altered appearance of the female fish evidencing that she had shed her spawn, from the immediate change made by the male fish in the arrangement of the materials forming the nest, and, likewise, the violent repulsion of the female from the neighbourhood of its position, to which previously he had been as assiduous in driving her. From this period the nest was opened more to the action of the water, and the vibratory motion of the body of the male fish, while hovering over its surface, caused, as before described, a current of water to be propelled across the surface of the ova: this action was repeated almost continuously. The apparent luminosity of the body, if I may so term it, also decreased, and in this state all continued without change until the 18th of May, making a period of ten days. After this date the whole nest was destroyed, and the materials of which it had been composed thrown aside, with the exception of a few wiry stems of a decayed water-moss, and a space cleared around the spot of about 3 inches in diameter; the mud or sand at the bottom being carefully removed with its mouth and carried in this manner to some distance, leaving the rounded stones of the gravel clean and free from any obstruction around them. Watching carefully for a short time, to understand what all this busy alteration indi- cated, I at last had the pleasure of observing, by the aid of a long-focused pocket-lens, some of the young fry—of course most minute creatures—fluttering upwards here and there, by a movement half swimming, half leaping, and then falling rapidly again upon or between the clean pebbles of the shingle bottom. This arose from their having the remainder of the yelk still attached to their body, which, acting as a weight, caused them to sink the moment the swimming effort had ceased. Around all this space above mentioned, and across it in every direction, the male fish, as the guardian, continually moved. And now his labours became still more arduous than they had been before, and his vigilance was taxed to the utmost extreme, for the other fish, three of them some twenty times larger than himself, as soon as they perceived that the young fry were in motion, used their utmost endeavours, continuously, to pounce upon the nest and snap them up. The courage of this little creature was certainly now put to its severest test, but, nothing daunted, he drove them all off, seizing their fins, and striking with all his strength at their heads and at their eyes most furiously. All the assistance that could possibly be afforded him was of course rendered, short of actual interference, by keeping them pretty well fed, in order to allay, if possible, their voracity. Another circumstance, which appeared to add greatly to the excitement that he was constantly subjected to, arose from the second female fish, being in spawn, endeavouring most pertinaciously to deposit her ova in the same locality, and hence rushing frequently down towards the spot; but the male fish was ever on the alert, and although he did not strike at her in the furious way he attacked the larger ones, yet, he kept continually under her, with the formidable back spines all raised erect, so that it was impossible for her to effect her apparent object. The care of the young brood, while encumbered with the yelk, was very extraordinary, and as this was gradually absorbed and they gained strength, their attempts to swim carried them to a great distance from the parent fish; his vigilance, however, seemed every- where, and if they rose by the action of their fins above a certain height from the shingle bottom, or flitted beyond a certain distance from the nest, they were 4950 Insects. immediately seized in his mouth, brought back, and gently puffed or jetted into their place again. This was constantly occurring, the other fish being continually on the watch to devour these stragglers, and make a savoury morsel of these Lilliputiau truants. Indeed, the greater number of the whole brood must have fallen a prey to their voracity, as it was only some three or four that reached a size to place them beyond the power of these destroyers. As soon as the young fry could swim strongly the parent fish gradually relinquished his duties, although a constant watch appeared to be still quietly maintained on their motions as they swam about near the surface of the water and among the floating leaves of the Vallisneria and Lemna. It is a curious circumstance, that, very soon after these young sticklebacks were left unmolested by their companions, both the parent fish disappeared, and I presume have died in some hiding-place among the rock-work; as though their allotted functions—namely, the propagation of their species—having been completed, their period of existence must terminate.*—Robert Wurington ; Apothecaries’ Hall, September 11, 1855, The Gonepteryx Rhamni question.—It is impossible to resist the evidence which has been brought to bear in your last number upon the natural history of our always-wel- come brimstone butterfly. I will request, however, the privilege of a little space in your journal to make one or two remarks more, in that spirit, I trust, in which all scientific controversies should be conducted, and which has been so strongly inculcated in the writings and example of such men as Ray, White, Kirby, &c. Natural History is the business of few men’s lives—it is the delightful recreation and study of many. The contemplation of Nature, in her wondrous and varied aspects,—the study of those beautiful Laws which the Creator, in his Infinite wisdom, has chosen to be the rule and guide of animated existence,—the patient and enduring research into that great scheme upon which all Nature is founded and built up,—is the object and aim of the naturalist’s career; and he follows out this path, not only in searching among books the opinions and experience of others, but wherever the garden of the world is most beautiful—in grassy, flowery fields—in the solitude of the forest—in the cold gray of the mountain top—the student of Nature holds communion with those things for which his yearning after truth has induced him to search. Such a pursuit as this must never be sullied by recrimination among the pursuers, much less should we ever appear irritable if others differ with us in opinion, or consider our own experience and knowledge, however great, as an infallible and undeviating standard. If there is one thing more than another which I have been impressed with by the late discussion, it is the fact that there is a great deal of knowledge stored up in the minds of naturalists of the present day, as securely as their own cabinets are protected from the investi- gating propensities of Acari or Dermestes. One gentleman says that he has known for thirty years that G. Rhamni was not double-brooded and that the imago hybernated ; and yet during that time we have had published the works of Stephens, Westwood, Jardine, Morris, &c., who have each recorded a different opinion. Linneus, in the preface to his ‘ Fauna Suecica,’ quaintly remarks, “ Longa denique experientia edocti * Printed in the ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History’ for November, 1855, and communicated by the author. Tnsects. 4951 mortales, plus ceperant sapere.” But how are we to begin to be wise, if the ex- perience of practical men is bottled up, and explodes with indignation when some one less fortunate expresses an opinion that the only recorded doctrine is the correct one ; and this question of hybernation is, I confess, to me one of great interest. At the tisk of being thought obstinate, I must still express my opinion that the scheme of insect-life, so far as we understand it, is the death of the imago before winter—as soon, in fact, as the object of its existence is attained, viz. the procreation of its species ; and the extent to which the pupa will bear cold, in comparison with the imago, has been a fruitful and interesting subject of comment in the ‘ Zoologist; and I think that, where the opposite fact is shown to exist, viz. when the imago can bear the cold, and the pupa, according to your experiments, cannot, this may be considered a casual and not a constant feature in insect-life. Mr. Doubleday, however, in a private note, dissents from this view, and, as I think his opinion at all times valuable, and especially so on practical points connected with the Lepidoptera, and, as I am sure any additional facts will be as interesting to your readers as they have been to me, I will quote (with his permission) a part of his letter. I will premise that the first part of the extract refers to an objection I took to his definition of a double brood in the ‘ Zoolugist’ for September (Zool. 4811): I suggested that every escape from the pupa in the same year ought to be considered a brood, otherwise the cycle of single-brooded insects being only completed in the two halves of separate years, the case would not be included in his definition. The following is the extract:—“ I quite agree with you about double broods, and your definition is better than what I wrote in haste, though, at the same time, mine is correct. The changes are gone through in twelve months by each brood; for instance, the eggs of G. Illunaria are deposited in April—these hatch and produce moths in July, from which brood larve are hatched which become pupe in the autumn, and produce moths the following March. The eggs of G. Rhamni, laid at the same time, produce larve which become butterflies in August, which live on till the following April, and then deposit their eggs: of course there is only one brood in the twelve months. Rumia Crategaria differs from any other British species, as far as I am aware, in its broods: it emerges from the pupa state at three different periods of the same year, viz. April, June and August ; but the June brood is not the produce of the April moths, but of those of the preceding August, which pass the winter in the larva state and feed again in the spring, while those from the June brood become pupe in the autumn and produce the moths in April: the specimens which appear in June are always larger and finer in colour and markings than those of the other two broods. I cannot at all agree with you that the hybernatiun of the perfect insect can be called a casual occurrence: an event can only be casual which is out of the regular course of nature, which the hybernation of certain species is not. You say, but ‘J still consider that the general scheme of insect-life is the death of the imago after the object of its existence is attained, viz., that of procreating its species.’ I admit that this is correct; but many species never seem to have any sexual desire till after hyber- nation, and therefore without it the end of their existence would not be attained. I believe species which hybernate never copulate in the autumn (I am speaking of Lepidoptera). Out of the thousands of Glea Vaccinii, Spadicea and Satellitia that I have seen at sugar in the autumn I never saw any attempt at sexual intercourse ; but when they re-appear in the spring I have seen scores of pairs in cop. on the trees. I never saw Vanessa Io, V. Atalanta, or the last brood of Urtice copulate in autumn: the males take no notice whatever of the females; but in the spring it is not uncommon A952 Insects. to see half a dozen males after one female. You ask where Atalanta, Polychloros, &c., conceal themselves: I reply,—in crevices of old trees, sheds, or any convenient places they can find. Last winter some large stacks of beech faggots, which had been loosely stacked up in our forest the preceding spring, with the dead leaves adhering to them, were taken down and carted away, and among these were many scores of lo, Urtice and Polychloros. Any mild day in the middle of winter, if you take a pair of fumi- gating bellows and blow tobacco-smoke into furze-bushes, you will drive out svores of Depressarie, &c., which are hybernating there. The autumnal Tinee, Cerostoma radiatella and costella, so common on oaks, live through the winter among the dead leaves, and re-appear in the spring in the most perfect condition, and live on often through May. I have repeatedly beaten them out when the ground was covered with snow.” This extract is rather long, but I am sure none of your readers will regret it. In fact, I think I shall try some other vexata questio, in order to uncork the bottles in which our practical entomologists keep their valuable knowledge. With regard to the original question, we must, I think, consider this set at rest, unless some industrious naturalist finds the pupe in winter, or a second Captain Watkins comes to the rescue, and discovers the larve feeding in September.—C. R. Bree; Stricklands, Stowmarket, November 7, 1855. Capture of Colias Hyale and C. Edusa in Sussex.—I have taken in this neigh- bourhood, towards the end of August of the present year, six specimens of Colias Hyale and a great number of Colias Edusa; the latter I shall be glad to exchange with any entomologist who may happen to have duplicates of the of the genus Thecla. —J. J. Reeve ; Newhaven, Sussex, November 1, 1855. Capture of Argynnis Lathonia in Norfolk.—In accordance with Mr. John Scott’s suggestion in the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 4873), I beg to record the capture of two specimens of Argynnis Lathonia, about six years back, in a gravel-pit, near Harleston, in Norfolk: one of them is in Mr. J. Muskett’s cabinet at Harleston ; the other, which is a little damaged, in my own.—d. Mr. Scott’s Note on Argynnis Lathonia.—I clearly understand the object of Mr. Scott’s suggestion on the subject of Lathonia, but I do not think it would answer the purpose which the writer has in view. I saw a process only a few days ago of cutting light sovereigus, and I think the same might be practised with great advantage on the so-called “ British” Lathonias and Daplidices. I would suggest that a committee of three be appointed to examine every specimen of such rarities, and that the committee be armed with scissors and absolute power to adjudicate on the authenticity of each specimen, and, if found a forgery, to cut each of the four wings transversely in half, and return the specimen thus mutilated to its lawful owner: the specimen might be mended with little trouble, but would ever afterwards bear the brand of being a forgery —Edward Newman. Double-broodedness of Notodonta camelina and Clostera reclusa,z—In Mr. Edwin Shepherd’s letter in the November number of the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 4899) on the “ vexatissima questio” respecting Gonepteryx Rhamni, he seems to infer that Notodonta camelina is not double-brooded. That it was double-brooded I had long suspected, and have this year proved it to be a fact. On the 26th of May I found four eggs of some species of Notodonta on a birch-bush at Hampstead: I took especial care of them, in the fond hope that they might produce Carmelita. As may be expected, my hopes were blighted, “ Parturiunt montes et nascitur Camelina.” The larve were full-fed and spun up the end of July, and the perfect insects emerged Insects. 4953 about the middle of August. One of the moths was a female, and most certainly was not barren. Of the double-broodedness of G. Rhamni I know nothing, having had but little opportunity of examining its habits: so many entomologists have, however, entered the field, that I feel quite content to leave them to fight the matter out without entering the lists myself. I am decidedly, however, of opinion that many of those insects which we generally suppose to be. single-brooded are occasionally (I will not say always) double-brooded: Clostera reclusa, for instance, is, I believe, generally considered to be single-brooded, but that the contrary is the case I have little or no doubt, and I think that the following facts will go far to prove the correctness of my supposition. On the 23rd of June I found a small brood of the larva of Clostera reclusa feeding upon aspen in the Crown Woods near Shooter’s Hill: some of them were full grown, and the majority nearly so. These larve all produced moths during the month of July: they none of them remained in the pupe more than ten days. Now, does it not seem probable that the eggs laid by these moths would have produced larve which would have been full grown in September and October, the usual time ~ for finding the larve of Clostera reclusa: though the females laid plenty of eggs, they were unfortunately none of them fertile, so that I was unable to prove it as a fact. Surely the larve cannot be found of all sizes from May to November (for I have two or three now feeding, out of a few which I took on the 16th of October in the same place as the June brood), and yet produce only one brood of moths. I may add that, at the beginning of June, Mr. Bond gave me a few impregnated eggs of Clostera reclusa laid by moths which he was then breeding from last year’s pupe. From the larve reared from these eggs I bred a male insect on the 25th of October. I do not lay much stress upon this circumstance, because I know that the pupe of the Bombyces are sometimes subject to premature autumnal maturity. Is it not, how- ever, possible that {there may be a very late brood of Clostera reclusa,ethe eggs of which remain dormant during the winter. I am otherwise at a loss how to account for full-grown larve as early as the 23rd of June, particularly after such a cold spring as that of the present year. Perhaps some of my entomological brethren can enlighten me a little—H. Harpur Crewe; Rossway, near Great Berkhampstead, Herts, November 7, 1855. Capture of Callimorpha Hera on the Coast of Sussex.—I beg to record, in the pages of the ‘ Zoologist, the capture of a single specimen of Callimorpha Hera on the wing, in this town, on the 5th of September, 1855. I have presented the specimen to my friend Mr. H. Cooke, of Brighton, in return for his kind assistance to me in forming my small collection.—J. J. Reeve ; Newhaven, Sussex, November 1, 1855. Spiraea Ulmaria a Food-plant of Lampronia prelatella.—The larva of Lampronia prelatella “ patronises this plant,” as well as the wild strawberry and avens: I collected, a few weeks ago, a number of its cases, the larve in which were feeding on the radical leaves.— George Wailes ; Newcastle, November 15, 1855. Occurrence of Plutella annulatella at Newcastle in 1854.—It appears this beautiful species is still as scarce in cabinets as when I discovered its only English locality about thirty years ago, and then supplied, I believe, all the specimens in British collections, except Mr. Curtis’s, who took it in Scotland. It seems to be equally rare or local on the Continent, where it bears the more appropriate name of “ P. bicingulata,” derived no doubt from the two white spaces or rings on the antenna, which evidently have been overlooked in this country, probably owing to the paucity of specimens examined. I took it again in considerable numbers in 1854, but many of the specimens had been XIV. E A954 Inseets. long on the wing and were somewhat wasted, and the long continuance of severe storms at the time of its appearance this year rendered fine specimens very rare, so that many of my duplicates are not quite so beautiful as I could wish.—Id. Note on Tinea ochraceella—I expected to have met with this species in our hill district, where the Formicaria are almost as numerous and as large as those at Rannoch ; but although I searched them thoroughly, at the same time of the year as I took the species abundantly at its Scotch locality last year, I could not discover a single specimen. I may mention that a search at Rannoch the end of last August was equally unsuccessful: they were all over for the season.—TId. Occurrence of Peronea caledoniana near Newcastle.—I took this at the middle of September, 1854, on one of our mountain heaths: it was a cloudy day, and they were flying abundantly over the heather: the previous day had been a hurricane of wind and rain, and the specimens were a good deal worn. On my visit a little earlier this season it was “ blowing a gale,” and I only secured a few by beating them up.—Id. Occurrence of Anthrax Hottentota in Lancashire.—On the 12th of July last I cap- tured Anthrax Hottentota, of both sexes, in abundance, on the sand-hills near Formby, Lancashire.-—Henry H. Higgins ; Rainhill, Prescot, Lancashire, November 3, 1855. Duplicate Micro-Lepidoptera.—The offer of duplicate Colymbetes given in the September number of the ‘ Zoologist’ has hitherto found no followers; I have for several years been in the habit of sending lists of my duplicates to my correspondents, which I have found a long, tedious and sometimes thankless operation (on one occa- sion an eminent entomologist abusing me for sending him a list of my duplicates), and it will be a great convenience to me if my list appears in print this year in the pages of the ‘ Zoologist’— those can then make use of it that like, and those that don't like can let it alone. My absence on the Continent during a whole month of last summer necessarily diminished, to a considerable extent, my doings at home; still I have so many trusty scouts constantly on the look-out in various parts of the country, that scarcely a day passes during the season that the post does not bring me living larve of some sort or other, and by this means a store is frequently accumulated of bred specimens of species but a few years ago considered rarities. The advantages attending the transmission of insects by post whilst in the larva or pupa state is obvious ; they travel more safely, and by breeding and setting the perfect insects I can frequently obtain finer specimens than by trusting these processes to the tender mani- pulations of less-practised Micro-Lepidopterists. Of all the following species I have duplicates; in some instances the duplicates are few in number, and will probably hardly supply the first half-dozen applicants; but by hearing that such and such species are in great demand I shall be led to collect them more diligently during the ensuing season, so I would wish each entomologist who wishes for any of the following to enumerate them boldly, specially designating such species as he may not at present possess. This appeal is not confined to my existing correspondents, and I hope no collectors are too modest to apply. Ochsenheimeria Birdella | Gelechia affinis Argyresthia conjugella Plutella porrectella . 5, domestica Gracilaria omissella Depressaria umbellana » leucatella Ornix avellanella fs angelicella » Mouffetella Coleophora alcyonipennella ™ applana » anthyllidella " lixella be nervosa » nheviferella ‘a anatipennella Gelechia rufescens Butalis fuscomnea ns discordella Coleophora troglodytella sy lineolea i. albitarsella 5 solitariella » limosipennella Bedellia somnulentella Chauliodus cherophyllellus Laverna ochraceella Elachista cerusella » rufocinerea Lithocolletis lautella . Coryli Insects. Lithocolletis salicicolella ” ” carpiniculella quercifoliella Messaniella corylifoliella alnifoliella stettinensis Phyllocnistis suffusella Cemiostoma scitella Nepticula ruficapitella ey) pygmeella ’ 4955 Nepticula viscerella ms catharticella S Septembrella ‘a floslactella bs Salicis microtheriella = plagicolella 9» - Lityrella angulifasciella marginicolella aurella. Those who are overrun with specimens of any of the following may send some of their superfluities to the undersigned, who will thankfully receive them: those to which an asterisk is prefixed he does not possess :— Diplodoma marginepunc- LEidophasia Messingiella *Gelechia littorella tella *Cerostoma horridella te atrella . *Euplocamus Boleti 53 scabrella hae’ suffusella Tinea imella * “i asperella > lucidella * ,, monachella Depressaria carduella rr’ nigricostella » albipunctella "a eranulosella Rs pictella * ,, simpliciella » pulcherrimella a brizella » higripunctella as Douglasella *Anarsia Geniste pastinacella Ypsolophus fasciellus » argentimaculella ‘A Lampronia luzella Psoricoptera gibbosella *Lamprosetia verhuellella Gelechia inornatella *Aplota palpella *Sophronia humerella *Incurvaria tenuicornis sa), needa CEcophora similella Micropteryx mansuetella Pa fumatella % re Woodiella i, Sparmannelia * _,, divisella é grandis *Nemophora pilella id fp, palustrella * ‘ formosella g Metaxella Ss sororculella ss lambdella Adela Sulzella * 4, cuneatella Butalis variella Nemotois cupriacellus ii alacella » chenopodiella pt fasciellus m politella » incongruella ft minimellus _ Galbanella Acrolepia perlepidella Swammerdamia lutarea - humeralis m betuletella *Anesychia pusiella Sih, solutella Roslerstammia Erxlebella * a bipunctella B vist, celerella Glyphipteryx oculatella 4, funerella = maculiferella AKchmia dentella. 4 decemguttella ” punctella Iam compelled to cease my list here for very shame; I must send the remainder to the ‘ Zoologist’ at the close of another season.—H. 7. Stainton ; Mounisfield, Lewisham, near London, December 12, 1855. Duplicates of Micro-Lepidoptera.— Having supplied nearly all my usual correspon- dents, I find that there yet remain duplicates of some Micro-Lepidoptera, which I shall be glad to give to any one who will send a marked list, showing what species he wants. I make no bargains; but I shall be glad to receive Coleoptera, especially northern and mountain species.—J. W. Douglas ; 6, Kingswood Place, Lee, December 18, 1855. 4956 e Insects—Radiata. Localities of Elaphrus lapponicus and Agabus congener.—On the 13th of August last I started for Catlaw, determined, if possible, to fill up a long-lamented blank in my collection—that caused by the want of Elaphrus lapponicus. The greater part of the day was spent in exploring the mountain, but with little satisfaction, except that arising from the unexpected occurrence, upon the very summit, of Megacronus cingulatus, a species I had met with only in the lower districts of the country. Proceeding northwards I arrived in Glen Clova, a locality famous to botanists by the labours of Don and Gardiner. After spending four days in the neighbourhood I was at length rewarded by finding, on the ridge betwixt Loch Brandy and Loch Whorral, a single elytron! there, doubtless, any person of moderate industry may find the lovely creature in the month of June, and I trust the successful investigator will not forget my claim to a specimen on the day of distribution. Though forced to leave without accom- plishing my chief object, I was fortunate enough to fall in with a few desirable species, as Miscodera arctica, Omaseus orinomus, Hydroporus halensis = griseo- striatus, Steph. (one or two specimens only), Agabus arcticus (must of them recently fledged) and Agabus congener. This last species seems to be alpine in its predilec- tions, for though, several years ago, I took a single specimen in Robrayston Bog, near Glasgow: the other Scotch localities with which I am acquainted in Rannoch and Mull are on rather high ground, affording the insect sparingly, while the little peaty pool in Clova, in which it was rather abundant, is about 2000 feet above the level of the sea. The specimens vary much both in colour and sculpture: Aubé’s description of the species is full and accurate; he says it is pretty common in the north of Europe, but Erichson, Redtenbacher and Heer remark that it is rare in their respective countries.— Robert Hislop ; Blairlodge, near Falkirk, December 6, 1855. Actinia swimming in an inverted position on the Surface of Water.—I have often seen specimens of Limnea stagnalis and other fresh-water mollusks swimming on the surface of my diminutive water-gardens, with their crawling disks exposed to the air. I have always been and still am completely puzzled both as to the cui bono and the modus operandi of this exhibition: I have never yet discovered for what good purpose or by what means the pleasing feat is performed. This, however, is merely the perora- tion. Yesterday, being Sunday, the 18th of November, my son called my attention to a mature, indeed venerable, specimen of Actinia Mesembryanthemum, indulging him- self in a similar vagary. After having been quietly moored to a rock for some twelve months or more, he seems to have become possessed of a wandering spirit—to have heaved anchor—and to have cast himself loose upon the waters. There he was majestically and slowly gliding under the surface, for all the world like a ship keel upwards and with all her sails set, for his tentacles were spread abroad in the waters below, with as much complacency as if his base of operations were the very rock on which he had so long been vegetating. The broad disk by which he had formerly adhered was stretched to its fullest extent, and from exposure to the air had become perfectly dry. Mr. Douglas accidentally calling, his attention was invited to an exhibition as new to him as to ourselves, and the polype was soon afterwards com- pelled to abandon his inverted position; he sank moodily in the water, and has since returned to the usual sedentary pursuits of his kindred.— Edward Newman. Fresh-water Aquarium. A957 Observations on a Fresh-water Aquarium. By GeorGE Guyon, Hsq. On a former occasion you inserted some notes I forwarded on a marine aquarium of small dimensions, which I established while in this island nearly two years ago. I now purpose to send you some unconnected observations on a fresh-water one, maintained during the greater part of the intervening period; and to this branch of the subject I would wish to draw the attention of persons having a taste for Natural History, as, although it is certainly inferior to sea-water aquaria in little- known and curious forms, still the fresh-water establishment is very interesting, and has the advantage of being attainable in any inland district with the smallest possible amount of trouble: it requires much less attention than its marine relative to maintain the balance between animal and vegetable life for a lengthened period; the aquatic plants seem less liable to decomposition; and the evaporation, which must constantly take place from an exposed fluid surface, does not, as in the case of sea-water, alter its density and change the proportion of its con- stituents ; in fact, evaporation is of no consequence, as long as sufficient water remains for the movements of the animals and submersion of the plants. If unhealthy plants are replaced with fresh (which will seldom be required), and any dead animals removed, the aquarium will con- tinue in a flourishing state, under the influence of light, for almost any length of time. I commenced the establishment on the 2lst of August, 1854, by procuring a glass gold-fish vase of two gallons capacity, and filling it to about half with river water, which, up to my leaving Richmond (October, 1855) has never required changing. Some sand and mud obtained in the river-margin was next thrown in, together with a few stones, and it was left till the next day to settle; I then introduced some river weeds, and at the same time procured some aquatic plants from a neighbouring pond, and the live stock was commenced in the shape of a common smooth water-newt and a few specimens of Limnza stagnalis and other shells; this reptile and a specimen of Neritina fluviatilis, accidentally introduced with the river sediment, with a water-beetle or two (Hydroporus), are the only aboriginal inhabitants of the vase now living. The newt soon became tame enough to take food offered on the point of a piece of wire, not refusing anything in the shape of fish, flesh or fowl, roast, boiled or stewed; a fly would be 4958 Fresh-water Aquarium. readily taken, and even a crumb of bread or biscuit: after awhile it would raise its head, and seem to expect something eatable when I approached the vessel, but in taking it showed no great abilities; if the food sank on being thrown in, the newt, which usually floated with its limbs extended, never attempted to descend for it, and when the wire was thrust under to recover the food it would bite eagerly again and again at the middle of the wire, where it met the surface, without seeming to discover its want of nutritious qualities: for the first two or three months it lived constantly in the water, after which a slice of cork was thrown in, and then, having a choice, it abode on it for the greater part of the day: not unfrequently it appeared to be affected with palpitation or shortness of breath —if such an affliction extends to the newt family —at least the throat would show as many as 240 beats in the minute, a very different rate to its usual slow respiration ; on these occasions it always kept the head out, and was generally on the cork, and if food was offered it would be refused, or taken with reluctance: on two occasions I found it looking very much as if seized with an attack of cramp, the limbs drawn up and the eyes closed with a very painful expression: a very interesting sight was presented when it happened to be resting at the side of the vessel with a foot touching the glass; the circulation of the blood was then clearly visible with a pocket lens, but though the red corpuscles were plainly seen returning from the points of the toes, I failed to detect them proceeding thither. The movements of the newt appeared to me to be influenced by the electrical state of the atmosphere, at least more so than the leech, one of which I kept in a bottle a year or two ago without observing any of those weather-wise indications for which it enjoys a reputation: it appeared its practice to descend in the water and keep there during a storm. On the 9th of July there was thunder and lightning in the evening, and I found the newt, as | expected, totally submerged a full inch below the surface: on the 23rd of the same month it was very gloomy, and thunder at a distance, and the little meteorologist, true to his habit, was under water, and remained so for three hours, so far as was observed: I made the same remark several times, and only on one occasion, when the thunder was very distant and unaccompanied with lightning, did I find it resting on its floating island. Three small - sticklebacks (taken on Wimbledon Common, and conveyed home by rail in a Preston-salts bottle, held out of the carriage window to keep the contents cool) were introduced at an early period, but none survived two months: their habits were very interesting, and their Fresh-water Aquarium. A959 elegant shape, lively manners, and the ease with which they are pro- cured, make them very suitable to form part of the live stock, where their pugnacity will not be injurious to their fellow-prisoners: their occupation seemed a perpetual seeking for food, in which they would often scrutinize the ground, head downwards, in an almost perpen- dicular position, the fins and tail quivering—varied by an occasional attack upon a comrade. I sometimes looked at them during the night, and always found them foraging. Contrary to the habit of the newt, they would readily dive after any food thrown in, and would often blow it from the mouth and seize it again with great dexterity. Whether the newt is fairly chargeable with any dark deeds connected with their disappearance, I cannot say, but on one or two occasions I observed it following them about the vessel with great determination, though at a sluggish pace that scarcely threatened their personal safety, added to which it never seized a fly or even a bit of meat without one or two bungling failures. On the other hand, either from instinct or experience, they evidently avoided its approach, while a stickleback I had some years ago would make repeated charges on a dace three times the size of the newt, and drive it about the tub. Specimens of Limnea and Planorbis bred freely ; and in the spawn of the former, which was often attached to the glass, a revolving motion of the embryo could be clearly seen. A few species of aquatic Hemiptera were introduced, and some of them were observed to make vigorous dashes towards a candle brought near the vase, following it round the glass. Unexpected forms would sometimes make their appearance, including sundry insect larve and two species (?) of Cyprides. I once observed two young Hemiptera, not a line long, bred in the vase, each examining a Cypris, turning it over, quitting it and then returning; the Cyprides remained floating motionless: doubting if they were alive I pushed them under with a wire, and they immediately swam away ; hedgehog- like, they no doubt trusted in their defensive armour, but how the surface-swimming ’mzps managed to capture them is somewhat strange. During the autumn several curious objects attached themselves to the glass above the water-level, having much the appearance of minute carraway-seeds, with a small tuft projecting from the side: I watched them for a month or two, but could not ascertain their nature. I may observe, the vase was covered with a circular piece of glass, slightly raised by bits of cork to admit air, but restrain the movements of mollusks of unsettled habits. The insertion or selection of these disjointed observations must be left entirely to your discretion— 4960 The Aquarium. they are given as they occur to memory, or as notes were made at the time. GEORGE GUYON. Ventnor, Isle of Wight, November 20, 1855. On the Injurious Effects of an Excess or Want of Heat and Light on the Aquarium.—Temperature is a point requiring great attention in carrying out success- fully the principles of a permanent aquarium. The mean temperature of the ocean is estimated to be about 56° Fahr., and this, under ordinary circumstances, does not vary more than about 12° throughout the different seasons of the year. The causes of this equilibrium will be readily understood when we take into consideration the effects that must be produced by the continued flux and reflux of the tides, and by the enormous streams of water which must be flowing from the Arctic regions from year’s end to years end in one constant current, and which, by their movement, must necessarily cause other currents to flow in and take their place, thus forcing, as it were, the heated surface-water of the tropical seas towards the colder regions of the globe. Again, the whole surface of the earth, submersed below the ocean, is protected by this fluid coating from the effects of the cooling influences of radiation on the one hand, and from contact with the currents of the atmosphere on the other; and hence we perceive an always existent cause for the maintenance of a steady, equable temperature by the waters of the ocean throughout the year. Many of the inhabitants of the sea are very sensitive to changes of temperature, and we find that a few degrees of variation will cause them rapidly to move their position and seek some cooler or warmer spot, as the case may be. Inthe ocean it will be evident that the creatures have the power readily to effect this under ordinary circumstances, by seeking deeper water not liable to be affected by atmospheric influences, by partially or entirely burying themselves in the sand or shingle, or by shielding their bodies under the protecting shadow of the rocks or growing vegetation. In arranging the rock-work in the interior of the aquarium, therefore, great care should be taken to keep these points in view, and to afford as much protection as possible to the creatures from the cooling influences of radiation on the one hand, and from the heat of the sun’s rays on the other. From my own experience I find that the range of temperature should not be below 50° Fahr., nor above 70°; within these limits all appears to progress healthily, but beyond these points many of the creatures are rapidly affected. During the last long-continued and severe winter, it was found very difficult, in an ordinary sitting-room having a south aspect and a good fire maintained throughout the day—the tanks being also screened at night by a blind—to prevent the powerful cooling effects from radiation on a clear frosty night; and on three several occasions, marking exactly the three severest frosts that we experienced during the winter, the thermometer, immersed in an aquarium containing about thirty gallons of water, fell as low as 45° Fahr. The shrimp and crab tribes, and the Crustaceans generally, are especially affected by these changes, and on each of the three occasions alluded to, one or two individuals perished; the larger-sized prawns, as Palemon serratus, appeared to suffer more readily than the P. Squilla, although this might arise from the smaller ones being able to find a shelter from the radiation by concealing themselves more completely among the rock-work or vegetation. Anthea Cereus is also very sensitive to considerable variations of tempera- Entomological Society. _ 4961 ture, falling from its foot-hold to the bottom of the tank apparently dead. Excess of heat and also strong sunlight are likewise to be as carefully guarded against; and I may state, as an evidence of this, that on a particularly hot day during the summer of 1854, being absent from home, the servant omitted to screen a small case from the sun’s rays during the hottest period of the day, and on my return I found every creature dead. It contained an Anthea Cereus, Actinia Dianthus, two specimens of Athanos nitescens, and several others. Too much light has also the effect of rapidly _ propagating several of the minute animalcules of a green colour, as the Euglena and - its congeners, which under this influence multiply so rapidly as to render the whole water of a grass-green hue; this will at times subside to the lower part of the tank as evening approaches and disappear in the shingle bottom, but immediately the morning light shines strong upon the aquarium it will rise like a thin green cloud and diffuse itself throughout the whole of the water. Although this animalcular growth is not unhealthy, yet it causes the aquarium to present a very unsightly appearance, and prevents all observation on the habits of the inmates. The want of light, I need hardly observe, causes the rapid decay of the vegetation, and the products arising from this change are highly poisonous to animal life, the whole contents of the aquarium becoming of a black colour, and very soon of an offensive odour.*—Robert Warington ; Apothecaries’ Hall, September 11, 1855. PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. November 5, 1855.—Joun Cuntis, Esq., President, in the chair. The Meeting was made Special, in pursuance of a Requisition addressed to the Council, for the purpose of considering the By-Laws relating to Associates, and it was decided that these By-Laws should be annulled. Donations. The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the donors: —‘ Smithsonian Contributions to Kuowledge,’ Vol. vii.; ‘Eighth and Ninth Annual Reports of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution ; ‘ Descrip- tions of some New Marine Invertebrata from the Chinese and Japanese Seas,’ by William Stimpson, Zoologist to the U.S. Surveying Expedition to the North Pacific, Japan Seas, &c., Lieut. John Rogers, Commander; all presented by the Smithsonian Institution. ‘Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, conclusion of Vol. iv., and sheets 1 to 11 inclusive of Vol. v.; by the Society. ‘ Proceedings of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences,’ Vol.i., No.1; ‘ Constitution and By-Laws of the New Orleans Academy of Sciences; by the Society. ‘Patent Office Report—Agri- culture ;’ by the United States Patent Office. ‘Ninth Annual Report of the Board of Agriculture of the State of Ohio;’ by the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. ‘The Natural History of the Tineina, Vol. i.; by the Editor, H. T. Stainton, Esq. ‘ Pro- ceedings of the Royal Society,’ Vol. vii. No. 15; by the Society. ‘The Zoologist” for SKS * Printed in the ‘ Annals‘and Magazine of Natural History’ for November, 1855, and communicated by the author. XIV. F A962 Entomological Society. November; by the Editor. ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie,’ 1855, Nos. 8 and 9; by the Editor, M. F. E. Guérin-Méneville. ‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for October; by the Society. ‘The Atheneum’ for October; by the Editor. ‘The Literary Gazette’ for October; by the Editor. ‘ Entomologische Zeitung’ for September and October; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. Exhibitions. Mr. Stainton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Winter, a specimen of Phlogophora empyrea, a Noctua new to Britain, recently taken by him at sugar near Brighton; also ° some extraordinary varieties of Agrotis segetum and A: exclamationis. Mr. Winter also sent for exhibition a fine female specimen of Ennomos Alniaria, taken on a lamp at Brighton: the only other authentic British specimen of this species hitherto known was taken on the North Foreland Lighthouse several years since, and is now in Mr. Shepherd’s collection. Mr. Stainton exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Henry Cooke, a specimen of Polyommatus Agestis, which closely approached the Scotch specimens known as P. Artaxerxes, the pupils to the ocelli on the under side being obsolete. Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a new British Tortrix, recently taken at Hayling Island, near Havant; also specimens of Goniodoma auroguttella, F.-v.. R., taken by him in August last, in the Isle of Wight; and a specimen of Dictyopteryx uliginosana, Bent., from Ely, Cambridgeshire: the only two specimens of this last species hitherto known were taken near Yaxley many years since, and are now in Mr. Shepherd’s collection. Mr. Westwood exhibited a specimen of the rare Quedius dilatatus, found in a hive of the honey-bee, and also the net-work cocoons of Hypera rumicis; both com- municated by Professor Henslow. The President remarked that M. Gory had informed him that he once took a number of the Quedius in Fontainebleau Forest, in the neighbourhood of a hornet’s nest. Mr. Stevens said that a specimen had recently been taken by Mr. Turner in the New Forest, in the decaying carcase of a heifer. Mr. Waterhouse observed that M. Chevrolat had informed him that he found this species at night on trees infested with the larva of Cossus; and Captain Parry once found a specimen in his own garden under the loose bark of a tree so infested. Mr. Foxcroft brought for exhibition a large collection of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, taken by him during the past season in Scotland. Mr. Syme exhibited specimens of the rare Sphzrites glabratus, taken by him from Fungi at Kincardine. Mr. Stevens stated that, on his recent visit to Paris, he found a opel of naphtha very successfully applied to removing grease from insects: he had, since his return home, found that a similar article was manufactured at Liverpool, and sold under the name of “ Copland’s Rectified Borneote of Petroline;” this he had found equally as useful as the French preparation for extracting grease, and exhibited a number of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera which he had so cleaned: the highly volatile nature of these preparations is said to give them an advantage over camphine for this purpose, in not requiring the specimens to be subsequently placed in magnesia or other absorbent powder. Dr. Power exhibited specimens of Notiophilus rufipes, which species he had recently taken at Shirley, near Croydon, also near Gravesend, and at Cowley, near Uxbridge: he also exhibited an opaque female of Hydroporus picipes; in this species both sexes are usually glabrous. Entomological Scciety. 4963 The Rev. Hamlet Clark exhibited a new British species of Hydroporus, recently detected by him in the collection of Mr. Waterhouse. Mr. Stevens exhibited a box of Coleoptera recently received from Mr. Wallace, at Borneo, containing many new and fine species, especially amongst the Longicorns. Mr. Newman read the following notes, exhibiting the insects to which reference is made :— Silk-spinning Acarus of the Furze, Se. * T beg to exhibit a mass of silk spun by a minute Acarus, and obligingly handed - me, together with multitudes of the little specimens, by Dr. Milner Barry, of Tunbridge Wells, who writes as follows:—‘ When strolling across Rusthall Common this after- noon I noticed some red powder lying in thick cobwebs entangled in the furze: I took up some of the powder, and found it was living and moving, and consisted of myriads of vivacious red insects resembling Acari.’ When the mass reached my hands it was of the size and shape of a sparrow’s egg, the Acari running over it in all directions, and each adding to the bulk by leaving behind him a continuous thread of the finest conceivable silk. I subsequently sent the mass to Mr. Meade, the Arachnologist, who has carefully examined it, and kindly sent me the following information :—‘ The minute animals inhabiting the curious cocoon you sent me are Acati, belonging to the genus Tetranychus of Dufour, the type of which is the little red spider so injurious to plants in hot-houses and rooms, the Acarus telarius of Linneus: most of the species live in society, on plants, and possess the power of forming webs: Koch says, when speaking of an allied species, Tetranychus socius, ‘ It appears in certain years in such numbers that it covers the trunks and the branches of the lime-trees which it frequents, with such a thick web that they look as if clothed with glazed satin.’ I cannot find any description of the species sent by you, although it is closely allied to the common Tetranychus telarius, and I never before saw or found anything like the curious nest which it inhabits.’ Since the receipt of Mr. Meade’s note I have paid some little attention to the Tetranychus telarius, and find that the net-work of infinitely minute silken threads is admirably adapted to its singularly formed feet, and these are equally well adapted to the office of holding on while it perfurates the cuticle of the leaf with its rostrum: its hold is so secure that no amount of washing by means of a garden- engine seems to have the effect of removing it: as I have no doubt whatever that these little creatures are exclusively vegetable-feeders, the web cannot serve, as in spiders, the purpose of securing prey, and it is, moreover, never accompanied by the glutinous particles which render the web of spiders so adhesive: as a matter of course, if the _ Acari can resist the action of a water-engine they have little to fear from the effects of rain.” An Australian Bombyx escaping from its Cocoon in England. “TI beg to exhibit a male specimen of the Entometa obliqua of Walker, an Australian moth, allied apparently to Zeuzera, Giceticus and Psyche: the insect has recently emerged from a sack-formed cocoon, and bad it escaped and been captured on the wing it would doubtless have found a place in our catalogues, Mr. Oxley, to whom I am indebted for the loan of the specimen, exhibited the cocoon, amongst others, at one of our meetings last year, and adds the following information :—‘Although I am unable to state at what date the cocoon in question 4964 Entomological Society. was collected, yet I may observe that the last cocoons of any kind that I collected in Australia were obtained in March, 1854, a month equalling the September of this country. The long period of fifteen months that this moth must have passed in the pupa state I attribute to the rigours of a passage round Cape Horn and to the intense cold of the last English winter.’ In reference to this note, I may remark the pupa state in Eriogaster, and many allied genera, is of very inconstant and uncertain duration, and that the same irregularity may possibly take place in certain Australian Bombyces.” Abundance of Noctuide, sc. Extracts were read from letters to the President from Mr. T. Allis, of York, on the abundance of Noctue generally in the North of England during the past summer; and from Mr. J. Hogg, of Stockton-on-Tees, also remarking the abundance of Noctue, and the comparative rarity this autumn of the common wasp (Vespa vulgaris). Gall-fly of the Ouk. The President communicated the following note on Cynips :— “When Mr. Haliday visited Glanville’s Wootton last month, he collected some galls from the oaks, which he put into a bag, and on the 22nd ult. he writes to me from Dublin to say that ‘On examining the bag some days since I found several dozens of the Cynips out, but not one Callimome. It seems marvellous how the fly can escape through so small an orifice as it leaves, and I should like to see one emerge. I cannot identify it with any Linnean or Fabrician species, but it is the C. lignicola* of Hartig, and the only one of that group to which the insect of the ink-gall belongs which occurs so far North as England or even Northern Germany. This group, distinguished by the pubescence extended to the posterior segments of the abdomen, includes the largest species of the genus, and those which cause the most elegant and largest galls. This, I presume, is the Cynips I consider ‘as ‘the C. Quercus-petioli of Linneus.” December 3, 1855.—Joun Curtis, Esq., President, in the chair. Donations. The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the donors:—‘ The Zoologist’ for December; by the Editor, ‘The Entomologische Zeitung’ for November; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘Ueber die Micropyle und den feinern Bau der Schalenhaut bei den Insekteneiern;’ by the Author, Prof. Rud. Leuckart, in Giessen. ‘On the Illumination of the Diatomacee, when viewed under the Microscope ;’ by the Author, Thomas Sansom, A.L.S., &c. ‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for November; by the Society. ‘The Literary Gazette’ for November; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for November; by ‘the Editor. * “ My, Dale’s specimens have also hatched; yet, abundant as the gall now is, he had not the species before.’—J. C, Entomological Society. 4965 Election of Members. Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, Esq., Bloxworth House, near Blandford, Dorset, was elected a Member of, and R. B. Were, Esq., 35, Osborne Terrace, Clapham Road, and Horace Francis, Esq., 38, Upper Bedfurd Place, Russell Square, were elected Subscribers to, the Society. Exhibitions. Mr. Edwin Shepherd exhibited a beautiful pair of Trochilium scolizformis, Borkhausen, taken with other specimens by Mr. Ashworth, at Bryn Hyfryd, near Llangollen, in North Wales. This insect has just been described for the first time as British im the December number of the ‘ Zoologist, p. 4928, by Mr. Newman. Mr. Stevens exhibited a few drawings of the larve and pupe of some of the Lepidoptera of Port Natal, made there by Mr. R. W. Plant; also perfect insects of some of the species, whose early states were figured. The President exhibited some drawings of insects made by himself, and made the following communications respecting them :— ‘1st. A very pretty variety of Vanessa Urtice, given to me by F. Trenchard, Esq. The specimen was taken by himself ‘near the entrance-gate in Bishop’s Wood, Hampstead, July 21st, 1838.’ “92nd. A drawing of a caterpillar which I made when at school, and first noticed in the second edition of my ‘ British Entomology.’ It seems to be the larva of Sphinx Celerio, yet it does not accord with any drawing or engraving I have seen: it is of an obscure flesh-colour, with a large round black spot on each side of the first abdominal segment, with four minute white dots on each, and the outer edges forming two straw- coloured lunules; behind each, on the second segment, is a smaller oval yellowish- white spot. The following memorandum was made at the time:—‘ Two of these caterpillars, from one of which this drawing was taken, were found in the arms of an old garden-chair, in a garden near Bishop’s Bridge, Norwich: they began to spin up amongst some leaves in a pot on the 8th of October, 1810: they fed on the Persian willow (Epilobium angustifolium). In the other specimen there were five minute dots on one side and but three on the other: the white spot in my drawing is a little too large, and the tail of the other caterpillar was longer.’ They were in the possession of a schoolfellow, Howard Sims, and changed to chrysalides amongst some leaves, from which the moths never emerged, owing to the frequent disturbance of them. “3rd. A drawing of Hygrotus bisulcatus, which I described in the ‘Annals of Natural History,’ and which is quite distinct from any of the European species that have fallen under my notice. “4th. A drawing of the Apion named after me, in 1817, by the Rev. W. Kirby. I am very desirous of laying this sketch before the Society, in order to correct a mis- statement which I should be sorry to see repeated. Being at that time ona visit at Barham, I took a single specimen of an Apion, which Mr. Kirby decided to be un- known to him, and of which he made a detailed Latin description for publication, and I made the drawing: being in my youth at the time, Mr. Kirby paid me the compli- Ment to name an Apion after me; I could not but feel gratified, and although I believe Mr. Kirby’s description was never printed, Mr. Janson is quite mistaken in supposing that I had named the Apion after myself, or that it was a discovery since 1839, as assumed in the ‘Entomologist’s Annual:’ the latter misstatement is cor- rected by the above date, and [ should be surry to be considered capable of such a 4966 Entomological Society. contemptible act of egotism as to name an insect after myself. The truth is, that Mr. Stephens having with queries described a mere variety of a common and very distinct species as the Apion Curtisii, it became necessary to identify the type, which I did by describing it in the ‘Annals of Natural History’ as the Apion Curtisii of Kirby's MSS. Whether Mr. Kirby’s description, with many others of which I have copies, were handed over to Mr. Stephens with the MSS. of the Staphylinide, is unknown to me.” Mr. Stevens remarked that this Apion remained unique until he had the good © fortune to take the species at Little Hampton and near Arundel. The President also communicated the following note :— On the Genus Conops. “Little is known of the economy of this beautiful genus of flies, except that C. flavipes has been bred from the body of an Osmia, which had nidified in bramble- stems. Other species have also been stated to be parasitic on the Bombii, and Conops auripes is supposed to lay its eggs on the body or between the abdominal segments of Bombus hortensis. As there are eight or nine British species of Conops, some of which are occasionally tolerably plentiful, it would be very desirable that Mr. Walcott, Mr. Smith and other entomomologists who pay so much attention to bees, should bear this subject in mind. *“* My principal object, however, is tv make known the localities of two rare species of Conops which are merely recorded in Mr. Walker's first volume of the Diptera in the ‘ Insecta Britannica’ as ‘ Rare’ and ‘ Very rare’ :— ; “1. C. macrocephala, Linn., described and figured in the ‘ British Entomology’ in 1831, was first captured in England by Mr. Dale, who took a single specimen on the 18th of August, 1824, on the flowers of Scabiosa succisa in a meadow at West Hurn, Hants, and he has taken a second specimen, on the 23rd of June, 1846, on a path in Boscomb-chine, which he kindly added to my collection: I also possess another, taken last summer near Rannoch, in Perthshire, by Mr. Foxcroft. They resort to Orchis flowers; and all that I have seen are females. “2. C. nigra, De Geer. ‘This species has also been captured in Scotland, in Sutherlandshire, in June. Where Mr. Desvignes’ specimen was taken Mr. Walker does not state; it is merely indicated as an English insect.” Note on Quedius dilatatus. Mr. Westwood said, with reference to the specimen of the beetle exhibited at the last meeting, that he had received a note from Mr. Johnson (from whom, and not from Professor Henslow as reported, he had received the beetle), enclosing a note from Mr. Wighton, of Cossey Hall, stating that, although he found the insect in a hee-hive, it was in a nest of hornets built therein. The following notes by Mr. Newman were read :— The old Aurelians outdone. “ At the November meeting Mr. Foxcroft exhibited some mutilated specimens of Endromis versicolor—mutilated, I mean, by sundry tears and rents in their wings. Every entomologist knows how these fellows wander all day long ‘on amorous thoughts intent.’ Who has not watched them in the ‘ Kentish glory field’ at Birch, Entomological Society. 4967 flying high over the heather, or dashing themselves incontinently against the polished stems of the birches? Now I know not whether our most sagacious friend had literally ‘clipped the wings of Love, but, although ‘ Love is (proverbially) blind, he certainly assured us that he followed these ‘blind guides, and profited by the clipping, for it seems no amount of mutilation (of the wings) interferes with the amorous instinct, and that these cripples continued to tumble about amongst the heather and dwarf birch-trees, until they led him to female ‘glories, which he forth- with impaled. Harris, Haworth and Hatchett, our guides and philosophers in mothcraft, have bequeathed to us instructions how to employ maiden females as man- traps to decoy the unwary and tov-amorous males; but this is the first time the male has turned traitor, and lent his services to disclose the virgin’s bower.” Mr. Douglas remarked that once, at Wickham, Messrs. Farr, Fisher and him- self took females of Lasiocampa Rubi by watching the spots where the males congregated. A Fact bearing on the Function of Antenne. “Tt will be recollected that in an early Part of our ‘ Transactions’ (Trans. Ent. Soc. ii. 229), there is a paper by the late Mr. Newport, ‘On the Use of the Antenne of Insects,’ in which that eminent physiologist contends that they are auditory organs. We all admit that the subject is surrounded with difficulties, and therefore it is not very astonishing that the learned author failed to convince many of his readers, myself among the uumber: it has lately attracted attention from another point of view. In tetrapterous insects the antenne are invariably two, but in some of the apterous they are four at least; in others they are altogether wanting, and it is an interesting fact, and possibly a bit of collateral evidence in favour of the feeler hypo- thesis, that where this is the case the legs are eight instead of six, and the first pair actually perform the part of feelers: when we watch the spider, whose sense of touch is so obvious and so exquisite as to have excited admiration in all ages, we cannot resist the conviction that, whatever other function may be entrusted to them, the anterior legs are certainly organs of feeling. In the Crustacea we have to deal with other facts and another structure: the legs are ten instead of eight or six, and none of them are either homologically or analogically the substitutes for, or representatives of, antenne, since normal antenne are not only present, but are always twice, and some- times three or four times, as many as in tetrapterous hexapods. Physiologists have theorized very differently on the functions of these multiplied antenne. Milne- Edwards considers the shorter or inner pair as auditory organs; he is confessedly influenced by the supposed auditory chamber situated at their base, and he leaves the exterior or longer pair to be considered olfactory or feeling organs; but Mr. Spence Bate, in a paper lately published in the ‘Annals’ (No. 91, dated July), attempts exactly to reverse this theury, contending, at great length, that the long exterior antenne are auditory, the short interior ones olfactory. Recent observations on the living prawn (Palemon.serratus) throw grave doubts equally over the generally received view of Milne-Edwards and the more elaborately argued, but more hypothetical sug- gestion of Mr. Spence Bate. The antennal system of the prawn, although familiar to the Crustaceologist, is perhaps not equally so to the general entomologist, and therefore a brief description may not be out of place: the antenne are eight in number; con- ventional and technical usage,—whether wisely or not who shall say ?-—reduces them to four: all are alike in structure, filiform and multiarticulate; the exterior on each 4968 Entomological Society. side is the longest; the other three are of different length, are united at their base, and are seated on the summit of a stout triarticulate footstalk. These three antenne are invariably called ‘branches’ by the closet-naturalist; but the field-naturalist and the physiologist must of necessity call them ‘antenne ;’ first, because not apprised of the con- ventional usage respecting them, and, secondly, because, reasoning on the fact that the branches of the antennz in true insects are never articulated, they do not expect to find multiarticulate branches in the antenne of any animal. It may be very easy to argue that the two longest of these many-joiuted threads ought to be ears, and that the other six ought to be noses, or vice versa, but seeing how precisely they agree in structure,~— seeing that the microscope fails to detect a difference,—and seeing, moreover, as we shall see, that there is no perceptible discrepancy in the mode in which the living animal may be said to handle these weapons of perception, it is very difficult to convince the matter- of-fact mind of a naturalist that the argument is conclusive or the hypothesis established. Thanks to Mr. Warington, the prawn is now as easily kept in confinement as the rabbit or the guinea-pig, and we have every opportunity of observing how he behaves himself both under congenial and adverse circumstances: under every condition the antenne are constantly in action; always also acting in concert, as by a common impulse for a common object. Mr. Warington, in his admirable account of the prawn, in a late number of the ‘ Zoologist, says that he considers the sense of smell as residing most strongly in the antenne; and he relates, far better than I can, the wonderfully beautiful manner in which the prawn appears to hunt its food by scent. The following experiment I have often tried, and invariably with the same result :—Fix on the point of the usual feeding-fork a small piece of meat; plunge it in the sea-water near the prawn, but not near enough to touch or disturb him; then draw it through the water to the most distant part of the vessel, bring it to the surface, disengage it from the fork, and let it fall gently to the bottom. In a very few seconds the prawn becomes aware of the operation; he knows that food is or has been in his vicinity; he stands erect on his legs; he lashes the water with his antenna, and, rising from the make- believe rock whereon he was previously resting, hovers in mid-water, still waving his hair-like antenne until one of them has bisected the line of transit of his food: this line ascertained he follows it without hesitation ; ascends to the surface; plunges to the bottom; seizes the meat with his claws and conveys it to his mouth: during the entire operation, seldom prolonged beyond a minute, the motion of all the antenne is constant and indescribably beautiful; and it would require a far keener eye, a far more vivid imagination than mine, to detect or to suppose an auditory faculty exercised by some of them and an olfactory one by others. A second and even a third prawn will sometimes follow the trail after the first has passed, and I have seen three at once in active pursuit, like fox-hounds running with the scent breast-high. It is difficult in such a case as this to escape the conviction that the antenne ascertain the course to be taken: to see the creature would remove the doubts of the most sceptical on this point; at first all the antennz are porrected, but when the trail is once struck, and the pace of the hunter consequently improved, pair after pair bend back, with the rapidity of the motion. It is equally difficult to imagine that the passage of the meat through the water has left a sound: savour or odour are probable, sound certainly improbable. Thus as, in the first instance, we are willing to believe that the antenne guide the creature to its food, so, in the second place, we are willing to conclude that the senses of touch and smell are those most likely to be called into action by a substance totally incapable of producing sound.” Entomological Society. 4969 Mn Westwood remarked, that whereas authors had given the number of antenne in the prawn as four, Mr. Newman had doubled it, and to arrive at this conclusion he must have taken the threefold branches of two of them as distinct organs. Mr. Lubbock, in continuation, said that, on this hypothesis, the number of legs should be quoted as twenty instead of ten. Read also two papers by Mr. Newman :— ‘ Description of two New Species of Thrips.’—Specimens of these insects were taken in a jungle near Mysore, on the leaves of a species of Anacardium, by Major Hamilton, and were sent by that gentleman inclosed in a letter to the Secretary. ‘Descriptions of some Australian Lepidoptera.—In this paper the author has described fifteen new species of Lepidoptera, taken by Mr. Oxley on the Mount Alexander range, in the colony of Victoria. Note on Oak-galls. Mr. Westwood read the following extract from the ‘Gardener’s Chronicle’ of December Ist :— “I believe that it was only last year that the attention of the Entomological Society of London was called to the existence of the hard oak-gall (Cynips Quercus- petioli, Linn.) in this country, though previously noticed by Mr. Westwood. But surely it must have been of rare occurrence in this country until of late years, or it would have been observed before; and even now I believe it is confined to the southern counties of England. At all events I have never seen it in the midland counties, or indeed north of Somersetshire, and I should much wish to know if any one has hitherto seen this gall-nut further inland than I have mentioned. This may be important to know, as I believe the range of the gall-nut is extending, and with obvious injury to young oak plantations, so that the gall-fly that produces the nut is becoming an absolute pest in Devonshire and Somersetshire, and I am led to inquire if anything can be done to arrest its progress. It is very different from the innocuous soft galls upon the leaves, seldom very numerous, and dropping off with the foliage in the ‘autumn. But these gall-nuts of C. Quercus-petioli are mostly persistent upon the tree, and continue there for a long time hard as bullets. They seize upon the young shoots of the year, often the leading shoot in young trees, and cluster at its termina- tion, thus stopping the expansion of the buds by taking up their nutriment, and keeping the trees in a dwarf state. I have now before me young shoots that are terminated by eight or nine of these hard brown galls clustered together; and I recently noticed in the oak plantations on Worle Hill, near Weston-super-Mare, that many young oaks had been quite ruined by their leading shoots being thus loaded, and some were absolutely dead. Now I have reason to believe that this attack upon the oaks, at least in this plantation, is of recent origin. Four years ago I first observed a few on two or three trees, and looked upon them as a curiosity; last year I was surprised to observe many more, and the present autumn, in walking through One portion of the plantations only, and without going out of the path, I counted 91 trees that were more or less subjected to this scourge—for thus it has become. Some, it is true, had only about a score of galls or so upon them, but many had hundreds clustered upon their branches thick as grapes, and the smaller trees were evidently drooping and checked in their growth by the absorbing villainous galls, Some of the trees were actually withered and dead, and others had their leading 4970 Entomological Society. shoots killed, with the evident cause burdened upon them. It is clear to me that fresh trees are attacked every year by the increasing insect that produces the galls, and what can be done to stay their assaults? Though I only counted 91 trees in the Worle Hill plantations, I dare say I could have doubled this number by going deeper within the coppice; but say that only these 91 oaks had 50 gall-nuts on a tree—although many had hundreds of them—that only would give more than 4500 of the Cynips to commence the next season with, so that next year instead of only 91 trees attacked I may expect to find thousands, on every tree perhaps throughout the plantations. The mischief is that the oaks are certainly rendered barren by these hard gall-nuts, and wherever they occurred on the larger trees there were no acorns at all produced. It has been suggested that these gall-nuts may be used in the manu- facture of ink, but I should doubt to such a profitable extent as to keep the oaks entirely for that purpose; and if not it is but a poor consolation to have ink produced only to record the destruction of plantations made and kept up at some expense in the hope of good timber being some day ripe for sale. Can any suggestion, then, be made upon the subject now, before the Cynipidal hordes have spread to all the oak trees in the country, whether of Quercus robur or Q. sessiliflora ?—Sylvanus, St. John’s, near Worcester.” Note on Pausside. Mr Stevens read the following extract of a letter from Mr. R. W. Plant, dated Port Natal, April 16, 1855:— “In the box I now send you will find forky-ae-veth or forty-eight Pausside: this is an uncommon piece of good fortune, and I must give you the history of this lot. I stumbled on the locality by accident, about three months ago, and picked up six. I revisited the spot for several days, though I had five miles to go, without seeing another, till, remembering they preferred sultry weather, I watched for the next oppor- tunity, and was rewarded with ten; afterwards the approach of a thunder-storm was the signal to start, and beside my beetles I generally got a drenching. Respecting their habits I think the notion that they live with the ants, or are at all desirous of their society, is an error: all that I saw were close prisoners and jealously guarded; at first my anxiety to secure them prevented much close or cool observation, but as my box filled my curiosity revived, and at last it was possible to command myself sufficiently to gratify it. The beetles are in the bottom of the tufts of grass, and, owing to the small size and matted nature of the herbage, are very difficult to discover in that position, but it is the business of the ants to find them, and well they perform it. Their holes are usually along the edge of the grass (or at least it is there only they are to be seen), and as each unlucky culprit of a Paussus is found, five or six or more of the ants seize upon and drag him off to their nest. I have seen the beetles, in their efforts to escape, struggle out of the holes, but they are soon overtaken and brought back again. The ants do not kill them on the spot, as they do some other creatures, simply because they can convey them home alive, and the beetle does not seem to possess or use any means of injuring the ants, trusting only to his strength in the struggle, and is consequently soon overpowered by the number of what I take to be his enemies. At first it would appear easy to solve the question by opening the the ants’ nests; but as the soil breaks you lose the trace, and they are usually very deep, so that nothing very definite results. I found pieces of elytra, but whether from beetles that had died naturally or had been killed I cannot say. The sum of Society of British Entomologists. 4971 my observations, therefore, amounts to this,—the Paussi do not seek the ants nor remain with them voluntarily; on the contrary, they use every possible exertion to escape, though not one that I saw succeeded in doing so; they are captives to the ants; and for what other purpose should the latter toil in their capture, but in the pursuit of their natural instinct to secure food wherever it is offered ?” Mr. Stainton read a paper intituled ‘On the Spirit with which Scientific Books should be Read and Studied.’ Part 6., Vol. iii., N.s., of the Society’s ‘ Transactions,’ recently published, was on the table.-—J. W. D. Society oF British ENTromMo.Locists. November 2, 1855.—Mr. Harpina, President, in the chair. Mr. Biggs was elected a subscriber to the Society. The President announced that he had received from E. W. Buxton, Esq., a pair of Lithosia muscerda for the Society’s cabinet. The President exhibited Depressaria costosa and D. umbellana, bred from Fungi; D. granulosella, bred from wild parsley; Gelechia basalis, bred from thorny sallow; Sciaphila perletana, from wild marjoram, thistles and various plants; Sciaphila sub- jectana, from the small bugloss. The President remarked that while on the coast of Kent he took a pupa in a stalk Eupatorium cannabinum, which produced a specimen of Pterophorus Acanthodactylus ; he believed the habits of this insect were not known before. The President also exhibited some specimens of Colias Edusa, with pupe-cases ; these, with Colias Hyale, were taken in some profusion near Darenth Wood. Mr. Jobson exhibited some specimens of Colias Hyale and C. Edusa; also specimens of Trochilium cynipiformis, bred from the oak; T. formiciformis, bred from the apple; and T. myopeformis, bred from the willow: Zeuzera Aisculi and a species of Adela, taken near Darenth. November 6, 1855.—Mr. Harpina, President, in the chair. The President exhibited a box of insects, captured in various parts of the country ; among them were many of our rarest Lepidoptera. He likewise exhibited a box of insects taken at Darenth, on the 26th of October, in three hours’ coilecting ; among them were Petasia cassinea, Himera pennaria, Cheimatobia dilutaria, Peronea ferrugana, Simaéthis pariana, Cheimabacche phryganella, Depressaria arenella, D. propinquella, D. umbellana and D. carduella, Gracillaria stigmatella, Chauliodus cheropbyllellus and Cerostoma radiatella,—showing that something is to be obtained even at this season. The Secretary announced the donation from Mr. Stainton of the first volume of his ‘ Natural History of the British Tineina,’ and a vote of thanks to the donor was unanimously carried.—J. 7’. N. 4972 Cornwall Natural History Society. CornwaL.t Naturat History AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY. Anniversary Meeting, November, 1855.—The President read the following memo- randum, from the pen of Mr. R. Q. Couch :— New Facts on the Ecdysis or Moulting of Crustacea. “Tt is well known that, for a crab to grow, it is necessary that it should cast off its old shell: this it does entire; even the lining of the eyes, lungs, stomach, &c., are all cast off; and thus, after the creature has escaped, the shell seems as perfect as the animal itself; but I could never understand how that broad flat surface inside each claw could be got rid of without injury to the new claw; however, by attentively watching the process in several instances, I observed that in the act of drawing out the ‘new claw the edge is cut through by these flat horny plates, the divided parts imme- diately closing again, and speedily becoming so adherent as to preclude their being reopened. I have observed another fact:—When crabs cast off their claws and get new ones, the process can take place only in the joint which is nearest the body: if any other be injured they bleed to death ; but if the nearest joint be removed there is little blood lost, and over the wound a thin film forms, in the middle of which is a tubercle. The common opinion among naturalists appears to be that the new claw immediately begins to form, and at the next casting of the shell it is perfected, though it be small ; but this is incorrect: when the old claw is separated the scar immediately forms, and remains till the creature casts its shell. After the shell is cast the tubercle in the centre of the sear suddenly enlarges, and under it may be discovered a small claw doubled on itself beneath the membrane of the scar: this remains in a soft state until the crab again casts its shell, when the new claw is set at liberty, is straightened out, and becomes hard and calcareous like other parts of the body; so that a claw, instead of being renewed and perfected at once, or at the first casting of the shell, is not so in reality until the shell has been cast the second time.” ) Mr. E. H. Rodd communicated the following account of Ornithological Captures during the Past Year. “ The interval between our last annual meeting and the present has been produc- tive of ornithological occurrences in this district quite worthy of notice. The severity of the last winter, almost unparalleled for extent and duration, caused a vast influx of birds, both of the land and water tribes, not only from the northern regions of Europe, but also from our own inland districts. Those of the thrush family were especially remarkable, and so concentrated were the redwings and fieldfares in the Land’s End district after the frost had lasted some time, that even at Truro the entire absence of these birds, and nearly of the whole of our common field birds, was the subject of observation. The commoner species of wild fowl flocked in innumerable numbers to our district; but it was observed that there was not such an accession of the rarer Anatide as might have been expected. Woodcocks and snipes were everywhere to be found, and the former were observed, from exhaustion and famine, to be strutting about on grass plots adjoining coverts, and even close to houses, seeking for their sustenance like barn-door fowls. The intense frosts, after cementing all the more exposed ground, at last closed up all the avenues of the woodcocks’ sources of sustenance in warm sheltered valleys, when, at last, these, with other birds, were often found dead, always Cornwall Natural History Society. A973 more or less exhausted, and with scarcely any flesh on their bodies. Amongst birds of unusual occurrence in this neighbourhood at that time were large numbers of the brambling (Montifringilla)—a species that seldom leaves the northern English counties’ except in very rigorous winters. In nearly all the farm-yards in the neighbourhood of Penzance were these beautiful finches to be seen. During the past year the following remarkable birds have been noticed :—Rosecoloured starling; Land’s End, &e.: four instances. Solitary snipe; Cold Harbour Moor, Towednack: not hitherto recorded in the Cornish Fauna. Schinz’s tringa; Scilly. Hawfinch; Scilly. Whitefronted wild geese; Scilly. Honey buzzard; Carclew.” Mr. R. Q. Couch, after stating that he had prepared a paper on the subject, which would appear in the Society’s ‘ Report,’ read the following abstract :— On the Metamorphoses of Crustacea. Mr. Couch prefaced the reading of his abstract by stating that the subject was now attracting much of the attention of naturalists. Professor Bell had given, in his work on the Crustacea lately finished, a summary of all that was known on the subject down to the present year, and had expressed an intention of bringing regularly before the Linnean Society such additional information as he could collect: he had already quoted from the Reports of this Society, and was desirous of procuring as much additional information from it as this Society could give. The early part of this paper was occupied with a brief recapitulation of the doctrine of the metamorphoses of crabs and lobsters, as formerly described by the author, and which is now acknowledged by all authorities. He referred to Professor Bell’s work on the Crustacea, in which the whole process is particularly described; but the author remarked that all previous researches had been directed especially to the establishment of the doctrine of meta- morphosis and to the particular description of each species. It was his intention in future to give figures and specific descriptions of every species: for as the young, in their partially developed form, are free, and move about in the surrounding waters, they are presented to the researches of the naturalist as species or fully-formed animals, and in times past have been described as such; and thus species, and even genera, of animals have been unnecessarily multiplied. The paper then described minutely the early states of the species mentioned above, and dwelt elaborately upon the young state of several species of Mysis which do not undergo a change. Mr. R. Q. Couch contributed the following Notice of the Capture of Planes Linneana in Mount’s Bay. “ The occurrence of Planes Linnzana in Mount’s Bay is well worthy the attention of this Society, not only from its extreme rarity as a British species, but also on account of the probable source whence it was derived. There are three specimens in the British Museum, placed there by Dr. Leech; these were probably obtained from the Devon- shire coast, and are all, I believe, that can be said to have been recognized on our shores, though I think there is a specimen in the Museum at Plymouth. Some of the smaller specimens which have been shown me as belonging to this species, and which have been taken both in Cornwall and Devonshire, have, on examination, turned out to be the young of Carcinas Menas, just as it has begun to assume the adult specific markings. Such specimens I have frequently captured in Mount’s Bay AQ7A Notices of New Books. among the tangle at the roots of the Laminaria digitata, and have afterwards reared them into the full adult characteristics. I am of opinion that the Planes Linnezana. cannot be considered as really a British species in any other light than as an occasional visitor. If it occurred regularly it might be considered as an established portion of the Fauna of Cornwall; or if it appeared in flocks it might be looked on as a migra- tory species; but inasmuch as it occurs singly, and after long intervals, its occurrence must, I think, be considered, in some measure, accidental. It is chiefly found as an inhabitant of the Sargasso, or Gulf-weed, which is found in such enormous fields in the Atlantic, and which is drifted from the shores of the West Indies and the surrounding mainland.” NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. “General Outline of the Organization of the Animal Kingdom, and Manual of Comparative Anatomy. By 'THomas RyMER JONES, F.R.S., Professor of Comparative Anatomy in King’s College, London, late Fullerian Professor of Physiology to the Royal Institution of Great Britain, &c., &c. Second Edition. London: Van Voorst. 1855. 842 pp. 8vo; 400 engravings on wood: price £1 11s. 6d. Tus second edition of a very useful compilation is immeasurably superior to the first, and will be hailed with pleasure by the students of comparative anatomy. Mr. Jones is a pleasing and flowery writer, and has the tact to interweave the labours of comparative anatomists with each other, and to blend them together so harmoniously that it is impossible for the student to detect the quarry from whence each stone of the well-built fabric was originally hewn. In every respect the second edition is an improvement. The author wisely expunges from the Preface itself a very uncalled-for attack on those philosophical naturalists who trace, in the multitudinous facts spread before them, evidence of a design far more important, far more indicative of Omni- science and Omnipotence, than the mere facts themselves, however wonderful. Mr. Jones is one of those anatomists whom philosophers must always delight to see working in the right direction, but in whom all attemps to undervalue the far-seeing and synthetic speculations of maturer minds are ill-judged: they remind one of the Cockney who, returning from a trip on the Continent, declared that French, Italians and Germans were alike badly off for a language. The objectionable paragraph is entirely removed, and is replaced by the following :— “ Since the publication of the preceding edition, however, great and important advances have been made in our knowledge: many and Notices of New Books. 4975 earnest have been the labourers in this enticing field, and propor- tionately encouraging have been the results. The indefatigable in-. dustry of Professor Owen, conspicuous in every department of our science, has, by his invaluable analysis of the vertebrate skeleton, not only remodelled the nomenclature of the osteologist, but placed in the hands of the Geological student a light wherewith to guide his steps amid the darkness of departed worlds. The improvements in our microscopes, and the zeal of our microscopists, have much advanced our knowledge of the Infusorial organisms. The researches of Van Beneden and Siebold, relative to the embryogeny of parasitic worms, open before us a new field of research, while the observations of Steen- strup, Dalyell and Agassiz on the ‘alternation of generations’ among the Hydriform Polyps and Acalephe, promise results of the utmost interest to the naturalist.” Again, directly we commence the work, which really begins at Chapter II., we find that the second edition is a new work, and one which, in a great many instances, brings down the wave of discovery, if I may be allowed to use such an expression, almost to the day of publication. This is as it should be: whatever we do in science we should at least master what has been previously done; to adopt the views or to vouch for the supposed discoveries of another is a matter of mere option; to display ignorance of them is inexcusable. In illustrations there is also a great improvement; nearly a hundred new ones are added; and many of those, which serve to illustrate other of Mr. Van Voorst’s publications, have been omitted. . Some of the worst entomological illustrations still remain; those at pp. 384, 390 and 408 have neither truth nor taste to recommend them; the flea at p- 350 appears to vary in the number of tarsal joints from eight as a maximum to five as a minimum: on the contrary, the anatomical illustrations of this part of the work are good and taken from the best sources. The letter-press is always pleasing and for the most part explicit, lucid and trustworthy. Two faults, however, become apparent to the practical naturalist: first, that Mr. Jones has not always gone to the fountain-head for knowledge ; secondly, that he has not always gone to those streams nearest the fountain-head, where the knowledge is most pure and undefiled. However plainly these facts may present them- selves to the mind, it is neither easy nor pleasant to convince the reader of the justice of the assertion ; still the attempt must be made. First, then, as to not drawing or describing from the objects them- selves, or, in other words, going to the fountain-head for knowledge: A976 Notices of New Books. very many of the engravings are palpable copies, and this copying sometimes leads to inextricable confusion. ‘Thus, at page 656 is a figure, number 298: there is but one on the page; above it is this description, “ The accompanying figure (fig. 298) represents the ear of a very large fish, the Lophius piscatorius:” below it is this inscrip- tion, “ No. 298, auditory apparatus of the Skate.” The object of giving the English name as well as the Latin is doubtless a good one, namely, to render the explanation familiar to the mind of the merest tyro in the science, but in this instance the English and Latin don’t mean the same thing—they have no connexion with each other. Turning back to page 634 we are told, “The skeleton of the Cartilaginous Fishes will require a distinct notice, inasmuch as they present very remark- able peculiarities of no inconsiderable interest.” This is true, and - such of my readers as are not ichthyologists, and I am sure none more so than Mr. Jones himself, will be startled to learn that the Fishing Frog (Lophius piscatorius) is an osseous, the Skate (Raia batis) a cartilaginous fish: the two fishes have no points of similarity, and the names have never before been combined as meaning the same thing: the explanation beneath the figure is given in the second edi- tion only. Now, widely as the osseous and cartilaginous structures differ from each other, highly interesting as are these differences, Mr. Jones has so contrived to confuse them in this instance that it is absolutely impossible to tell which he is describing and figuring: in fact, the conviction is irresistably forced on the mind that Mr. Jones has copied figure 298 from some other author, has forgotten what it is and whence he derived it, and of course is unable to explain. Secondly, as to not quoting first hand. The labours of Desmarest, Gray, Gould and Waterhouse have brought to our. doors a vast store of knowledge with respect to the marsupial mammals of Australia: when we regard the vast unexplored interior, and compare it with the narrow external strip which we have examined, we shall at once per- ceive that our knowledge is still most incomplete, but nevertheless that it is good and sound as far as it goes, and is perfectly familiar to every zealous inquirer: such zealous inquirer is puzzled on reading the following passage published at the close of 1855 :—“ These animals (Marsupials) are peculiar to the Australian and American continents ; nay, in Australia, so anomalous in all its productions, with one or two exceptions, and these perhaps brought there by accidental importa- tion, all the quadrupeds are constructed after the Marsupial type.”— General Outline, p. 760, line 17." I wish the reader to refer, and to see that the passage is given not merely verbatim but entire; that is, Notices of New Books. 4977 that there is no paragraph, either preceding or following, to qualify or modify its comprehensive scope and meaning. This brief passage con- tains two great and hackneyed mistakes: first, Marsupials are not peculiar to Australia and America; secondly, “all the quadrupeds, with one or two exceptions,” are not constructed on the marsupial type. Let us take these propositions in order. First, the Eastern Archipelago should have been added to the geographical range of the Marsupials. The genus Cuscus, or that portion of the family Pha- langistide which has the tip of the tail naked and warty, occurs in Celebes, Amboyna, Banda, Waigiou, Timor, New Guinea and New Ireland, but never in Australia or America. ‘That infinitesimal portion of New Guinea which has been explored, and explored in the most hasty and incomplete manner, produces seven marsupials, only one of which occurs in Australia; so that the proposed geographical restriction of marsupials is fallacious. Now, about the quadrupeds of Australia being altogether Marsupial: this often-repeated error has been as often satisfactorily pointed out and corrected: the Cheiroptera and Glires should have been excepted. I find the following passage in a journal, the Natural History of which is in general carefully compiled :—“ The marsupials are peculiar to America and Australia: in Australia, if we except the dog, which has probably been introduced by man, all the Mammalia are marsupial.” I well knew this passage was erroneous, and, as a matter of course, I knew it was not original; still, believing it the text of Mr. Jones’s commentary, I determined to trace it to its source. I find that Mr. Waterhouse is the authority, and there is none higher; but the passage in question has unfortunately had its brains knocked out by the gentlemen who have borrowed it: here it is:— “Cheiroptera are not represented by any known marsupial animals, and the Rodents are represented by a single species only; the hiatus is filled up, in both cases, by placental species, for both Bats and Rodents are tolerably numerous in Australia, and if we except the dog, which it is probable has been introduced by man, these are the only placental Mammalia found on that continent.” The italicised portion has been omitted in every citation of this passage that has come under my notice, and the inference is I think fair that Mr. Jones has been misled by one or other of the copyers, and that he is not aware that at that early period truly native placentals were known to be tolerably, and are now known to be very, numerous in Australia. It may be said that the geographical distribution of animals is not the province of the anatomist, but, if so, the subject should have been avoided altogether, not treated erroneously. XIV. H 4978 Notices of New Books. These are fair examples of the errors which have crept into this useful book, as a natural consequence of trusting too implicitly the statements of others; they will not impede the course of the student so much as they annoy the more experienced reader, for it is utterly impossible for the beginner not to reap an abundant harvest of sound knowledge from Mr. Jones’s volume, and although I have attempted candidly to explain that errors are to be detected, they are neither so numerous nor so important, as to detract materially from the value of a volume which has been produced at great cost, and which is most profusely and admirably illustrated. ‘The Entomologist’s Annual for 1856.’ London: Van Voorst. 1856. 12mo, 174 pp. letter-press ; one coloured Plate: price Qs. 6d. Most of my readers are already aware that the ‘ Entomologist’s Annual’ has again appeared ; and not a few of them already possess it through the instrumentality of the editor of the ‘ Zoologist.’ In several particulars it is an improvement on its predecessor; but in many respects it is obnoxious to the same objection, viz. that it seems to strain at elevating Entomology above its rank in the Catalogue of Sciences, and Tinearism above its rank in the science of Entomology : indeed there seems not a little danger of Tinearism becoming in itself a science whose professors regard any other knowledge as superfluous. The contents of the ‘ Annual’ are so well known to the readers of the ‘ Zoologist,’ through advertisements on its wrapper, that I need not formally recapitulate them. A new feature, and a pleasant one, is the list of Entomologists, and this, though perhaps unintentionally, is the most amusing chapter in the book: there is something quite diverting in the way in which the Misters and the Esquires are portioned out. Thus, Edward Newman, a printer on a very small scale, in one of the narrowest and dirtiest streets in London, is an Esquire, and many of his congeners enjoy a like dignity; whilst F. T. Hudson, the dis- tinguished optician, of Stockwell Street, Greenwich, W. P. Hatfield, the Newark chemist, and many others of like standing, are plain Misters. A step lower still in this digested list are Entomologists who have no title at all; the examples are John Brown, E. Bull, Robert Drane, J. Fox, Finley Fraser, G. Freason, Edmund Graham, C. S. Gregson, William Harrison, George Hodge, James Holt, S. Keetley, S. Lineker, S. H. Riley, T. Riley, J. L. Rix, R. Slater, ’ W. Spencer, Joseph Stafford and W. C. Unwin; these gentlemen are neither Misters nor Esquires: what have they done to be thus denuded of prefix and affix ? perhaps, however, they are members of the Society Notices of New Books. 4979 of Friends, eschew titles and “like to be despised.” My own ednca- tion has been very imperfect in a knowledge of those comparative degrees which are here so carefully preserved. J. Bladon, Esq., J. A. Brewer, Esq., Mr. Foxcroft, Mr. Standish, Joseph Stafford and W. C. Unwin are measured by some standard I have not learned; and I think Mr. Stainton should have placed, at the head of the list, the scale which he applied to entomologists when adapting them to this bed of Procrustes. One would like to know whether magnitude, gentility, learning or income was the test applied. But it is not merely the gradus of the entomologists that affords matter of agreeable speculation; the habitats, or the want of them, is equally suggestive of hypothesis; as an instance, we learn that Mr. Saunders, although generally esteemed a well-to-do gentleman, has in reality no homestead at all. Does he sleep on the steps at Lloyd’s? Or repose at the foot of the marble Huskisson? Mr. Wollaston, on the other hand, rejoices in two habitats; while studying the ‘ Annual’ over his cozey fireside at “25, Thurloe Square, Brompton,” his hair will stand on end to find that he is “ At present in Madeira.” The omissions are also very curious. One of our very best Lepidopterists, Mr. Bouchard ; the best of our Orthopterists, Mr. G. R. Gray ; the best of our Crustaceologists, Mr. R. Q. Couch; the best of our Physiologists, Mr. Bowerbank ; and the greatest, most kind-hearted and most volu- minous of all our Entomologists, Mr. Walker, are ignored altogether. Some of the minims of science might escape even a Tinearist, but how can these stars of the first magnitude be hidden from his view? Are they such extra sizes in knowledge, in the world’s esteem, or in stature, that he could not clip them to the length of his bed? To the names of many of the entomologists is appended a little bit of autobiography—an outline portrait of the author, in all probability, sketched by himself: thus Mr. Westwood depicts himself as “ Econo- mic Entomology, and insects of all orders from all parts of the world, especially if of peculiar form.” This certainly does great credit to his head and heart. Mr. Weaver is labelled “ British insects of all orders : specimens always on sale or exchange.” Mr. Lubbock “studies, but has no collection:” he studies books, I presume: blind guides, Mr. Lub- bock ! see how Mr. Stainton handles them a few pages further on. The chapters ‘ Lepidoptera, by the Editor, and ‘ Observations on British Tineina,’ are good and useful, bringing down our knowledge to the very day of publication. Of the same character also are ‘ Notes of British Geodephaga, by Mr. Dawson, ‘Notes on Aculeate Hy- menoptera, by Mr. Smith, and ‘Instructions in Collecting Aculeate Hymenoptera, by Mr. Smith :’ these seem to me the right materials for 4980 Notices of New Books. ‘ an entomological annual, and we shall see whether space cannot be spared for a few extracts in future pages of the ‘ Zoologist.’ Other chapters are not so pleasant to the mental palate: I may instance the ‘Ghent to Glogau and Stettin to Schauffhausen’ paper. I will not enter minutely into my cause of dislike, but simply say I do not like it. Whether this chapter is intended as ironical, amusing or instructive, whether a mere burlesque on our German brethren, or a report of the state of Tinearism in Germany, I cannot make out: the parrots, the first-rate German pudding, the tremendously hot days, the pet canaries and the gnat-bites appear to me out of place, and I cannot help thinking that something better might have been made out of a journey through such a country and among such a people. I now arrive at the Reviews, and here amidst much that is good there is much that is very objectionable; objectionable, because harsh, ill-timed, in bad taste, and uncalled for: let the reader judge of this matter: here are some of the passages [ complain of :— I. From review of Guenée’s ‘Species Général des Lepidoptéres, Noctuélites.’ Observe, the truth of the allegation is admitted: the italics are not in the original. “On two points the author has developed new crotchets; both highly absurd ;—in the first place, he puts after the specific name of the species, not that of the writer who gave it that name, but that of the author who first described and figured the insect at all, whether he gave it any name or not: thus Tryphena pronuba, Linneus, becomes Tryphena pronuba, Albin. Now Albin never called the insect pro- nuba at all: why then should it be called pronuba, Albin? Linneus was the first who named it pronuba, and therefore, according to the rule universal in Zoology, except among certain demented Lepi- dopterists, we say pronuba, Linneus. A more amusingly absurd instance of the same nonsense is the Anophia Ramburii, Clerck ; Clerck never called it Ramburii—how forsooth could he, as Dr. Ram- bur was not born till long after Clerck was dead? Clerck figured this insect as Leucomelas, but Linnzeus described another species under that name, and so the Leucomelas, Clerck, must necessarily take the next oldest name, Ramburii, Boisduval; but according to the new crotchet, appended to the name Ramburii must come Clerck, because he first figured the insect! Hus absurdity its limits 2?” I beg to assure Mr. Stainton that his view of applying the authority to a name is quite as incorrect as M. Guenée’s; and that under no theory of nomenclature can there be a Tryphena pronuba of Linnzeus. II. The entire notice of Curtis’s ‘ British Entomology :’ the italics are not in the original. Notices of New Books. | 498] “ All entomologists agree in declaring the plates in this work to contain the best Entomological figures extant—they are 768 in number, embracing all the orders, and representing a species in each of the more important genera. The letterpress is short in quantity and very deficient in quality, and, in fact, had better be considered as not there: the tyro would be led into numberless errors by resting his faith upon it.” } I think those who are acquainted with Mr. Curtis will say that he is a consummate artist and engraver: his figures are exquisite: some ex- planation of them was required, and he gave, respecting each, what information he possessed. I admit it would have been far better to have made ‘ British Entomology’ a parinership work, after the fashion of‘ English Botany, in which the author, Sir J. E. Smith, and the artist, © Mr. Sowerby, confine themselves strictly to their respective depart- ment, but I cannot go further than this: I cannot think it desirable to notice in this harsh manner works that are the performance of the last, rather than of the present generation of men: neither can I forget that these very volumes contain descriptions of Diptera by Mr. Haliday, which, in philosophical treatment and minute accuracy, immeasurably transcend any descriptions in our language. Ill. The entire notice of Westwood and Humphrey’s ‘ British Moths:’ the italics are not in the original. “The letterpress is inferior to Stephens, and the plates far inferior to Wood: the important distinguishing feature is the figures of the larve; these are copied from various foreign works, and where the foreign author had mistaken or confused two larve the error is repeated. The latter part of the second volume is probably a good sample of how badly a scientific book may be written, by an unscrupulous author, with little knowledge of the subject, copying wholesale from previous authors, who were themselves not trustworthy. We trust the day when such books can be written on Entomology is now past ; an inquiring spirit is abroad, which will not accept such trash, even though in the form of quartos, half-bound in morocco.” Mr. Stainton is fully aware that the Council of the Royal Society has unanimously awarded one of the two royal medals this year to Mr. Westwood for his various entomological labours; and I believe that the work above criticised was held to be the chef-d’w@uvre of our most industrious fellow-labourer. Those entomologists whose lives shall be prolonged for another quarter of a century will be able to pronounce dispassionately on the merits of Mr. Westwood’s labours. It is a curious speculation whether the Council of the Royal Society or Mr. Stainton is in the wrong: one or the other has certainly A982 Notices of New Books. committed a capital error, and both as certainly assume the tone of infallibility. I have my priv ate opinion of Mr. Westwood’s lucubra- tions, but I am not reviewing him here. Of Kirby and Spence’s ‘ Introduction to Entomology,’ Mr. Stainton speaks as a work of two volumes, and gives the contents of Vols. I. and II. Is it possible that Mr. Stainton, the self-elected and auto- cratic expositor and critic of our bibliography is unacquainted with Vols. III. and 1V., constituting in themselves the most learned and elaborate ‘ Introduction to Entomology’ that was ever written? ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History.’ Nos. 96 and 97, dated - December, 1855, and January, 1856; price 2s. 6d. each. London: Taylor and pets Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. No. 96 contains the following papers :— ‘On the Batrachian Ranunculi of Britain.” By Charles C. Babing- ton, M.A., F.R.S., &c. ‘On the Mechanism of the Aquatic Respiration, and on the Structure of the Organs of Breathing in Invertebrate Animals.’ By Thomas Williams, M.D. Lond. ‘On the Genera of Mollusca, and on the Genus Assiminia in par- ticular’ By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., &c. ‘A few Remarks on the Brachiopoda.’ By Thomas Davidson, Ksgq., F.G.S. ‘On the Phenomena of the Reproduction of the Chitons. By William Clark, Esq. ‘Note on Linaria Sepium of Allman.’ By Charles C. Babington, M.A., F.R.S., &c. Bibliographical Notices :—Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds contained in the British Museum; by G. R. Gray, F.L.S. Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Histological Series con- tained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons; prepared for the Microscope; vol. i. Proceedings of Societies :—Zoological. Miscellaneous :—Shropshire Mollusca; by J. Gwyn Jeffreys. Note on the Arrested Development of the Tadpole of the Common Frog ; by W. Davies. List of Species of Mollusca obtained by Professor — Goodsir from Spitzbergen ; by R. M‘Andrew, Esq. No. 97 contains the following papers :— ‘On the Conjugation of Cocconeis, Cymbella and Amphora, together with some Remarks on Amphiphora alata? Kg.’ By H. J. Carter, Esq. a ee eS >, } | 4 SS — ee Notices of New Books. 4983 ‘Description of a New Species of Clausilia from the neighbourhood of Cheltenham.’ By A. Schmidt. ‘Memoir on the Indian Species of Shrews.’ By Edward Blyth, Esq. With Notes by Robert F. Tomes, Esq. ‘On the Mechanism of Aquatic Respiration, and on the Structure of the Organs of Breathing in Invertebrate Animals.’ By Thomas Williams, M.D. Lond. ‘On the Origin of the Geographical Distribution of Crustacea.’ By James D. Dana. [Extracted from Silliman’s Journal. ] ‘On Anthracosia, a Fossil Genus of the Family Unionide.’ By William King, Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in Queen’s College, Galway. ‘On the Genus Assiminia.’ Bibliographical Notices :—Recherches sur les Crinoides du Ter- rain Carbonifére de la Belgique; par L. de Koninck et H. le Hon. A Lecture on the Geological History of Newbury, Berks; by T. Rupert Jones, F.G.S. Proceedings of Societies :—Zoological, Botanical of Edinburgh. Miscellaneous :— Observations on the Blistering Beetles of the Neighbourhood of Monte Video; by M. A. Courbon [extracted from the Comptes Rendus, December 3, 1855, p. 1003]. Unusual Dearth of Alge in 1855; by John Cocks. Observations on Echini perforating the Granite of Brittany; by M. Valenciennes [extracted from the Comptes Rendus, November 5, 1855, p. 755]. New Species of Mammals and Birds; by M. Eversmann [extracted from the Bul- letin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, 1853]. Description of a New Bird from Guatemala, forming the Type of a New Genus; by John Gould, F.R.S., &c. The late Mr. Newport. Mr. Clark’s observations show that the young, or perhaps more properly ova, of Chiton are discharged continuously for about fifteen minutes, at the rate of one or two every second: they were of a pale yellow colour and subglobular form, and appeared invested with, and connected by, a viscous substance discharged simultaneously with the ova; for two days they were quiescent ; on the third day they emerged from their investment and swam rapidly about the saucer; at this early date they seemed to possess very nearly the figure of the parents: on the twenty-ninth and thirtieth days all natatory motion ceased. The Clausilia noticed by Professor Schmidt as having occurred at Cheltenham is the C. Mortilleti of Dumont, published in 1853 in the ‘Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de Savoie, p. 78. It is said to be at once distinguishable from all those forms which are so closely allied both to C. ventricosa, C. lineolata and C. plicatula by 4984 ) Fishes. the circumstance that the stria at the back of the cervix are rather more distant from each other than the strie of the penultimate whorl. ~ © Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, including the Trans- actions of the Microscopical Society of London. Edited by Epwin Lanxester, M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., and Grorcre Busk, F.R.C.S.E., F.RS., F.L.S. London: Churchill. No. XIV., dated January, 1856. 102 pp. letter-press; 7 Plates: price 4s. This part contains the following papers :— ‘On the Formation and Development of the Vegetable Cell.’ By F. H. Wenham. ‘On Certain Conditions of Dental Tissues.’ By John Tomes, F.R.S., Surgeon-Dentist to the Middlesex Hospital. ‘On the Filamentous, Long-horned Diatomacee, with a Description of two new Species.’ By Thomas Brightwell, Esq., F.L.S. ‘ Observations on the Practical Application of the Microscope.’ By J. Hepworth, Esq. ‘On a case of Green-Pigment Degeneration of the Heart.’ By Dr. Thudichum. . ‘On the Actinophrys Sol.’ By J. Weston, Esq., H.E.LC. ‘On the Impregnation and Germination of Alge.’ By M. Prings- heim. [Abridged from the Reports of the Berlin Academy. ] ‘On the course of the Amyloid Degeneration.’ By Rudolph Virchow. [Abstracted from the Archiv f. Patholog. Anatomie und Physiologie. Bd. viii. p. 364.] | Reviews :—‘ Researches on the Structure and Formation of the Vegetable Cell;’ by Dr. Pringsheim [from the Bot. Zeitung for May, 1855]. ‘A Manual of Marine Zoology for the British Isles;’ by Philip Henry Gosse. ‘A Handbook to the Marine Aquarium;’ by Philip Henry Gosse. ‘General Outline of the Organization of the Animal Kingdom, and Manual of Comparative Anatomy ;’ by Thomas Rymer Jones. Notes and Correspondence :—Finders and Indicators. On Micro- meters applied to Microscopes. Ciliain Unicellular Plants. Remarks on Mr. Wenham’s paper on Aperture of Object-glasses. Mohl on Chlorophyll. On the Microscopical Structure of the Victoria Regia [extracted from the Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Edin- burgh]. The Stomachs of the Polygastrica. Proceedings of Societies: — Microscopical. [This report begins with the meeting of March, 1855: surely the Microscopical Society would find its own account in using a little more dispatch and activity Fishes. 4985 in the publication of its Proceedings: as it is we rarely hear of them’ until all interest in the subject has passed away.] Royal. Zoophytology. I may observe that the numbering of the Plates is conducted on some new principle that requires explanation: here is the series in this part: I., VII., VIII, VI., VII., VIII., VX.: some of these ap- pear to face the wrong way, aud the volume is referred to as Vol. III]. These, I suppose, are the eccentricities of Microscopic genius. . The Present Position of the Salmon Question, considered Physio- logically. By R. Knox, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c. THE salmon question has two aspects, a physiological and an eco- nomical. The first alone concerns me, and, I presume, all scientific zoologists; the second is not altogether a national question, although the Bills ‘submitted to Parliament annually on the subject of the salmon fisheries might lead one to suppose that it was; it is a question of importance simply to the proprietors of salmon fisheries. The adding to the amount of national food is no doubt at all times a matter of importance ; but the supply of salmon in the markets of Britain can scarcely ever interest the bulk of the nation: on this point I speak with diffidence, the data not being before me; but of certain facts any one may assure himself by a few judiciously-timed visits to the great markets for the supply of fish : “ the increasing scarcity of salmon,” “ the falling off in the supplies,” “the inclemency of the season,” are the never- failing excuses for high prices, notwithstanding the successive dis- coveries of ice- packing, stake and bag-net fishing, Norwegian, Dutch and Labrador supplies. And now we are assured that all this is to be overcome by artificial breeding of the salmon: I, for one, will be de- lighted to see the accomplishment of this promise ; the chief mover in it is one of my most esteemed personal friends, Dr. Esdaile: whatever energy, prudence, tact and an intense love of scientific truth can effect will be accomplished by my friend; but the struggle in this case seems - to me to be with Nature, whose laws are either not known or not acted on when discovered. Great promises were held out in France that supplies of the finest trout, equal to any demand, were immediately to be furnished from the Moselle. Have these promises been fulfilled ? During last autumn I looked into the markets of Paris and Brussels: mm those of Paris I saw a very few ill-conditioned salmon ; of trout there were none: in Brussels, notwithstanding its advantages of railway- XIV. I A986 Fishes. communication with the adjoining countries, salmon is seldom under six shillings a pound. I distrust the promises of speculators; with _ them Nature has no laws that require being noticed.. From the eco- nomical, let me return to the physiological view, which must ever form the basis of every operation which has a reference to the laws of life, whether the question concerns salmon or men. On my return from Africa and the European Continent in 1822, one of my earliest visits was to the rivers of South Scotland in which I had angled when a boy: there 1, of course, found the fish called parr, as I had left it, equally mysterious—equally abundant—equally despised. To solve the difficult questions which | knew were wrapped up in the ° history of this little fish would have required me to reside on the banks of a salmon-river, and this I could not do. When, in 1827 or 1828, the Parliamentary Reports were published, I naturally expected that some inquirers, favourably situated, and with leisure and means at their command, would have endeavoured at least to solve, by direct obser- vation, experiment or otherwise, some of the interesting physiological questions involved in the salmon question ; but a careful perusal of all the documents then published showed me that no such inquiry had ever been attempted by any scientific person. To fill up the gap in the natural history of the salmon was, therefore, my next aim, and I selected a small trouting river, the Whitadder, as the field best adapted for observation; this method I chose in preference to that of eapert- ment, for reasons which I have already explained. The inquiry, com- menced in 1826 or 1827, has extended from that period to the present day: the young salmon in every stage of their development, from the preserves or ponds in Perthshire, are now before me, thanks to the kind- ness of my friend, Mr. Buist, from whom and from Dr. Esdaile I have received the fullest information in respect of the great experiment now in progress at Stormontfield. That experiment has already produced singular results: like the Egyptian antiquities, the solution of one difficulty has only led to the establishment of many more. A few words will suffice to explain this to the readers of the ‘ Zoologist.’ Prior to the commencement of my inquiries just alluded to, the food of the grown salmon was not known: the period of the incubation of the salmon-egg had been merely guessed at; the importance of the Entomostraca, or microscopic shell-fish, as the sole, or nearly the sole food of certain valuable fishes, as the herring, vendace, the finer lake trouts and others, had never been even surmised; but naturalists were aware that salmon ascended the fresh-water streams in order to spawn ; that the period for spawning was early in winter or late in autumn; Fishes. 7987 that the young salmon appeared in the rivers in May, and quitted them for the sea, along with the spawned fish generally during that month; that the young return during the same summer and autumn as grilses, that is, salmon of considerable size; and that whilst in fresh-water the grown salmon constantly deteriorates. In addition, there was a general belief that the fish called parr* was a peculiar species of the salmon-kind, although Willughby had proved experimenta!ly, or was held to have done so, that with the milt of the male parr the ova of the grown salmon may be impregnated; and Mr. Hutchinson, of Carlisle, in 1786, had scraped off the scales from a May smolt, and shown that underneath these scales the fish precisely resembled what we call parr. It was also generally admitted that parr were never found but in rivers frequented by salmon or salmon-trout, a statement I also firmly believed in until [ had fished the Kale, the Tyne and a small stream in the vale of Guisborough. Since the period of the publication of my earliest memoirs on these subjects in the ‘ Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh,’ Mr. Young, of Inver- shin, has proved experimentally—lIst. ‘That the smolt (young saimon) of May descends to the sea and returns from the sea to the river in June or early in July—. e. in from six weeks to two months—a well-grown fish of several pounds weight. This is certain: its growth from a smolt a few inches in length and a few ounces in weight to a three, four, five or even eight-pound fish is rapid beyond what could be imagined. 2nd. The same careful observer has proved that, whilst an inhabitant of the fresh waters, the salmon does not feed, but loses daily in weight and quality, and would perish but for its return to the ocean and to the use of that food which I proved many years ago to be essential to its well being. But there remains still to be solved the two difficult questions —namely, what is the age of the May smolt? what is the winter parr? — the fish which I[ proved, by direct and oft-repeated observation, to be present in salmon rivers during every month of the year; to have the strange peculiarity of a milt developed in the male and an undeveloped roe in the female ; to be found in every part of the _ river, from its source to its embouchure; and to be seemingly absent in some rivers, though frequented by salmon-trout, if not by salmon ?. The question of the age of the May smolt was some time ago con- sidered as settled by the Drumlanrig experiments; I never did, and appeal to all I have written and said on the subject as proofs of this assertion; I knew these experiments not to be trustworthy, though they obtained the apprebation of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. By * In Annandale the fishermen always held the parr to be a young salmon. “4988 Fishes. these experiments it was attempted to be shown that the ova of the salmon deposited, let us say in November, 1850, left the gravel in “April, 1851, and continued, under the form of little parrs, during the whole of 1851, until the month of May of 1852, when, being trans- formed into May smolts, they left the river for the ocean. This theory, for such it was, has been completely refuted — 1st, by Mr. Young, of Invershin; and, 2ndly, by the experiments now being performed at Stormontfield, in Perthshire, by my friends, Dr. Esdaile and Mr. Buist: many thousand ova of salmon were placed under the grave] in November and December, 1853: in April and May, 1854, the young from these ova had quitted the gravel, and were at large in the boxes prepared for their reception; some were allowed to escape from the boxes also provided for them, they having, from the period of their birth and appearance in the waters, been con- fined in boxes for nearly six weeks; at this time they measured about an inch and a half in length; that is to say, that having been confined in boxes from the period of their birth in April and May until June, they grew only about half an inch: the exact date of the admission to the ponds is not stated, a circumstance to be regretted in the history of a fish which we know can grow and does grow, when at liberty, from two or three ounces to four pounds weight in five or six weeks ; but during the five or six weeks they remained in the boxes they did not grow, and I confess that I should have felt surprised if they had grown. From the June of 1854 they remained in the ponds until the spring (again it is not stated at what time) of 1855; by this time they had grown to three or four inches in length, but had not altered in other respects: on the 2nd of May, 1855, they were compared with smolts in the river, descending to the sea; they were thought not to be yet ready for their migration seaward; the two-year theory men said that they would require another year in the ponds, and so they would had the ponds been as small as they were at Drumlanrig; but un- fortunately for their theory, on the 17th of May, 1855, it was found that vast numbers of these young fish had become metamorphosed into smolts, and it was agreed on to open the pond-sluice and allow them | to depart for the river and the ocean. They did not, however, com- mence their voyage until the 24th of May: about half became smolts, and went off to the river, and, it is presumed, to the sea; some were marked in order to ascertain if they reached the ocean; many of these must have done so, for they returned to the river in from six weeks to two months grown fish, from three and a half to eight or nine pounds in weight. Fishes. 4989 Of the 300,000 young fish about half still remain undeveloped in the ponds as parrs; in other words, and in plain language, they have not as yet undergone their last metamorphosis—they have not thrown off their generic characters common to them with all the Sal- monidz; they still retain the dentition, red spots and dark spots and parr-markings, which all the Salmonidz, whatever they are after- wards to become, exhibit when young. Amongst these I have been assured may be found the so-called male parr with the milt fully de- veloped, whilst in the female the roe, as usual, is at its minimum, the _ precise condition we find them in in the rivers themselves. Now what are these fishes? what will become of them? will they grow into salmon or remain in the ponds, retaining their generic dress—a dwarf salmon, with the further anomaly that the male acquires a full-developed milt, the female remaining with an undeveloped roe? In the absence of positive facts required to determine these suffi- ciently important zoological and physiological questions, it may still be remarked that the true age of the May smolt of the rivers has not been determined; in plain terms, experimenters, without being aware of it, have been simply experimenting on the metamorphosis of the salmon in confined localities; his natural history in dhe river is still to be made out. It is no doubt quite possible that, by a physiological law peculiar, or nearly so, to the Salmonide, a certain amount of the ova of one incubation may become fully-developed smolts in one year, others not until two years have elapsed, and a still larger portion may never proceed beyond their generic state, and, remaining in the rivers, form, together with those whose destiny is different, that vast assem- blage of small fish known by the name of parr; whilst others of the more favourably disposed in respect of their development may assume the character of May smolts in five or six weeks from the time they leave the gravel. Thus there may exist at one and the same time in a salmon-river young salmon of various ages though of one incubation, together with a certain number which may cease to grow, retaining their generic characters; but this is mere speculation and must con- tinue to be so until the natural history of the various kinds of salmon be fully investigated. After that will come the consideration of the economical view of this question, which cannot be correctly decided until the natural history difficulties be solved. These difficulties increase instead of diminish by the late experiments at Stormont- field, for I find it asserted that none of the young salmon, in the winter of the year in which they first came through the gravel, had the milt developed, but that those which are now there, this being their second 4990 lishes. winter, are found to have the milt largely developed, as is known to take place in such numbers in the winter parr of rivers. This curious fact, could it be altogether depended on, is an answer to those who assert that all young salmon leave the river in the May following the year of their birth, for were this the case no such thing as the winter parr full of milt ought any where to be found. Again, my esteemed friend, Mr. Buist, informs me. by letter that the young salmon now (November, 1855) in the ponds of Stormontfield, are no larger than they were last year at this time. It is quite a mistake to imagine that it is only at the approach of or during the winter months that certain parr acquire a largely- developed milt; a reference to my little work, ‘ Fish and Fishings in Scotland,’ will convince any one that mere parr (young salmon?) may — be found in the rivers at all seasons of the year with the milt fully de-_ veloped. “On the 3rd of September thirteen parr were caught in the Tweed between the Beild Bridge and Palmudie; of these two only were females, the rest males ; some were eight and a half inches long, others only four or five. In the largest the milts were enormously developed.” Now to which class of smolts are we to refer these small fishes? Again, on the 30th of July, 1832, six parr were caught with the artificial fly at Romano Bridge, on the Lyne, a tributary of the Tweed: they were of the usual size, averaging probably five inches; all were males with the milts large. Do we find the grown salmon with the milts large in July? In the Eddlestone Water, a tributary of the Tweed, smolts abounded in the stream in vast numbers on the 29th of May; they were from four to five inches in length, and were rapidly migrating; by the 29th of the same month they had all left the stream, and yet, on the Ist of June, in the Tweed, a little lower down the stream, parr were taken seven inches and three quarters in length, whilst their brethren, three to four inches in length, had become smolts and fled to the ocean. Now examine, as I have done, hundreds and hundreds of the smolts on their way to the ocean in May, and you will never find in one of these the milt in the slightest degree altered or exhibiting any appearance of its ever having been so. I have stated several other difficulties in the history of the Sal- monidz in the work already quoted, and to that I beg leave to refer the reader. _ Summary of Facts and Opinions. As. early as the times of Ray and Willughby it was known that the salmon ascended rivers from the ocean to deposit their ova or eggs Fishes. 4991 under the gravel of fresh-water-streams, and that the young springing from these eggs appeared in the rivers as smolts, or silvery-scaled fish, in May, and in May only; but it was not determined whether the May smolt was the product of the incubation of the preceding winter or of the one or ones before that; in other words, the age of the May smolt, that is, of the young of the salmon, after it has undergone its last metamorphosis before descending to the ocean, had not been determined. This problem is still unsolved. 2. At the period I allude to it was also perfectly well known that numerous small fish, with natural history characters seemingly iden- tical with young salmon before they have undergone their last meta- morphosis, were to be found at all times in salmon rivers; that these questionable and dubious fish were male and female; that they were of various sizes and strongly resembled young salmon in shape; that the male acquired occasivunally a well-developed milt capable of fecun- dating artificially the ova of a full-grown salmon, whilst, on the con- trary, the roe of the female of these fishes was never found developed. Some naturalists fancied these little fishes to be a peculiar kind or species of fish; practical fishermen believed them to be simply the young of the salmon; the physiological difficulties in the way of such opinions remain just as they were. I proved, however, by direct ob- servation that in a few days or weeks after the smolts had descended to the ocean, these peculiar salmon-resembling fish, known by various names as parr, brandling, &c., were to be taken larger than the smolts which had just left; that the milt was developed in these same fishes at times when no such thing happened in the grown salmon, and that therefore their whole history was still a mystery. To this was added the fact, which I believe to be correct, that in some salmon-frequented rivers the parr (the fish I speak of) is not found. 3. The habitat of the salmon whilst in the ocean is not known: its rapid growth in a few weeks from a May smolt to a well-grown salmon has been proved experimentally, so also has the fact that salmon do not feed in fresh waters, but fall off constantly and would perish if not permitted to return to the ocean. 4. The transplanting of salmon and salmon-trout into fresh waters, as a permanent residence, has uniformly failed. 5. The metamorphoses of the salmon from the egg to the smolt have not been accurately traced, the changes having been noted only in those subjected to restraint in artificial ponds and reservoirs. By the Drumlanrig experiments the fact was made out, that by confining the young in small fresh-water ponds the metamorphosis of the young 4992 | Fishes. salmon from a parr, or, as I would call it, a generic fish, to a smolt might be prolonged for a year at least; some experiments made on the Dee, near Kircudbright, extended the retardation of the development to another year, and so on; or, in other words, the young of the salmon might, under certain circumstances, continue to hold their generic characters for an indefinite period, instead of assuming their last metamorphosis. ‘There was nothing novel in such experiments, the same having been proved to happen in the development of the Batrachia. But that which is curious, and which still requires explanation, is, that numerous—TI had almost said innumerable— small fishes, obviously affiliated, if not directly sprung from, the salmon, continue to occupy salmon rivers throughout the year, whilst thousands and thousands, not larger, and many smaller, have undergone their last metamorphosis and migrated to the unknown recesses of the ocean. Of those which migrate in May, I have never observed the roe or the milt to be in the slightest degree altered, or even to look as if it had ever undergone a change; whilst, in the du- bious fish remaining in the river, the milt, as is well known, becomes highly developed. Is it a law, then, that of the ova of a single incu- bation a certain number become fully developed after a residence in the fresh waters of a few weeks; a certain number at the end of a year; a still greater number never, but, retaining their generic dress, continue in this dwarfish state in the fresh-water rivers? These are the appearances the question assumes at present, to solve or explain which both methods will no doubt be required, that, namely, by direct observation and that by experiment. Economically: salmon are gregarious wild animals, submitting to no restraint; their abundance or scarcity depend on circumstances over which man has little or no control ; but as they breed in confined streams, the inhabitants of all civilized countries will succeed, as is their wont and nature, in destroying them, by attacking the spawning fish and her brood. This is in accordance with man’s seeming mission on earth—that of a destroyer of Nature’s works: in Southern Africa you can predict the proximity of civilized man by the wilderness which moves before him, in advance, marking his all-destroying character. R. Knox. Meissen House, Upper Clapton, December, 1855, Quadrupeds. 4993 Anecdote of a Fox.—Some six years ago Mr. Brockman and his hounds met at or near to Waldershare Park, the seat of the Earl of Guildford, and, after drawing several covers blank, came across Mr. Gordon, the gamekeeper, who, after talking the matter over with Mr. Brockman, observed, “ Do you see that cedar-tree standing in the park, near to the Wilderness? A fox has lately used that tree, and possibly you now may find him.” Although the proposition seemed so preposterous, to draw for a fox in a tree, still, knowing Gordon to be a matter-of-fact man, away went the sportsman and hounds to the tree. After whooping and hallooing under it for some time, no fox was moved, and the laugh was becoming pretty general against Gordon, who, nothing daunted, then advised that a man should go up the tree, and beat it with a long stick: this was done, and, to the astonishment of the field, something at last began to move near the top, very dark, much resembling a martin-cat, and making its way from bough to bough towards the ground, when at length down plumped in front of the hounds as fine a fox as ever was seen. Away went the fox, hounds and horses, pug putting his head straight to the park, and, wonderful to relate, for the first two hundred yards the little wily animal gained upon its pursuers, showing the extraordinary speed which a fox possesses. At length the long strides of the fox-hounds began to tell, and the fox turned towards the steward’s house, when, after a whimper or two and a crash, it was killed in the steward’s garden. The narrator has now the brush of this fox suspended in his parlour—a very dark one, almost sable, with a handsome tag at the end.— Sussex Express, of January 5, 1856. Communicated by the Rev. Arthur Hussey, of Rottingdean. | Deer feeding on Horse-thestnuts.—I am surprised to see it stated (Zool. 4913), as a new or strange fact in Natural History, that deer feed on the fruit of the horse-chestnut. The truth is, and I thought it had been notorious, that they are very fond of these nuts; and on this account perhaps, as well as for the sake of ornament, horse-chestnut trees are frequently planted and cherished in parks. I could name a deer park, in which is a noble mansion; and, as I well remember to have heard many years ago, on authority that I cannot doubt, the younger members of the family were in the habit sometimes of collecting the nuts of the horse-chestnut and distributing them from their chamber windows, with a view to draw the deer near the mansion; and the deer were readily attracted by so tempting a bait. Is the origin of the name “ horse- chestnut” as stated in the ‘ Zoologist’ correct? And will our English horses eat the nuts? I had always supposed the epithet to have been given rather on account of the size and coarseness of the fruit, and its uneatable nature. Pigs refuse the nuts; at least I have several times tried the experiment with my own pigs, and never knew them to eat one.—W. T. Bree; Allesley Rectory, January 12, 1856. _ Deer feeding on the Horse-chestnut.—The Rev. Arthur Hussey mentions having seen deer feeding on the fruit of the horse-chestnut. In Donnington Park are herds of fallow and red deer, both of which I have frequently seen feeding upon this fruit. It is rather an interesting sight to watch a group of fallow deer searching amongst the fallen leaves for them, which they do with considerable care: this species of deer seems particularly partial to this fruit, and they consume them daily in the autumn, as fast as they drop from the trees.—John Joseph Briggs ; King’s Newton, December 6, 1855. Piscivorous propensity of the Water Campagnol.—Some naturalists seem to enter- tain a doubt whether this animal will feed upon fish. A friend of mine assures me that frequently, when he has been fishing in the Trent, towards evening, and thrown ATV. I A994 Birds. his fish upon the bank, a water rat has crept out of his hole and filched one or two of them, and carried them into it. He has watched a rat whilst performing this feat on several occasions.—Id. Black Hawfinch—Mr. Hall, naturalist, of the City Road, has just brought me a hawfinch, which had been kept in confinement and fed on hemp-seed for six years: its head, neck and back were quite black, and all the feathers of the breast and belly were more or less particoloured, black being- intermixed with the usual colouring: abundance of instances have occurred of this change of plumage in bullfinches, but I do not recollect another in the hawfinch. It may be amusing to some of my readers to know that the owner of this bird considered it a nightingale-—Edward Newman ; January 15, 1856. Popular Fallacies about Birds.—The country people have a notion that cuckoos turn to hawks in the winter, and the keepers in this neighbourhood destroy them both on this account and because they suppose that in the summer the cuckoos suck pheasants’ eggs. A somewhat similar idea prevails that the land rail or corn crake turns to the water rail in the winter, but I have positive euidence to the contrary, for a land rail was shot here last week, namely, on the 3rd of January: this winter occurrence of the land rail is very uncommon with us. On the same day on which the land rail was shot we saw several sea-gulls—J. C. Dale; Glanville’s Wootton, January 12, 1856. Late stay of the Swallow Tribe.—In the ‘ Zoologist’ for January, 1856, I obser ve that a correspondent, writing from this place, mentions the 11th of November as the day he last saw a swallow. As I have seen both swallows and martins some two or three weeks later, I will now give you the exact dates from my note-book, together with some-few observations and extracts from the same, and I may possibly, at a future period (should you wish it), describe what has come under my observation with regard to the migration of swallows, during a residence of some years in this neighbourhood. | 1839. April 21. Observed two swallows. 1840. April 15. Saw three swallows. 1841. April 27. Saw first swallow. 4 » 28. Saw a martin. » November 3. Last swallow seen. 1842. April 23. Observed a swallow. » December 2. Saw last swallow. 1852. April 13. Saw first swallow. Wind E.: therm. 56°. », November 13. Observed a few swallows. Wind S.E. 1853. April 12. Observed first swallow. Wind W.: therm. 50°. »» November 22. Saw a swallow and three martins, Wind E. 1854. April 15. Saw several swallows and martins. » september 7. Saw several sand martins. i » November. Observed both swallows and martins till about the middle of — the month. 1855. April 8, 4 o'clock p.m. Saw three swallows hawking over the mill-dam. , Wind N.W.: therm. 59° at 1 o'clock p.m. , April 28. Observed two sand martins. é Birds. A995 1855. November 24. Saw last. swallows. », December 2, 4 o'clock p.m. Observed eight martins flying round the garden, and occasionally alighting on the perpendicular face of the wall of a house hear my garden-gate, to which they would cling for a few seconds, and then, dropping off, whirl round, returning to the same spot, seemingly quite unconscious of my pre- sence and that of several others: they seemed bent on effecting an entrance under the eaves of the house, by a small opening they had discovered near a water-pipe that had been carried through the wall: they were, I believe, all young birds of the season, as they appeared small, their tails being also shorter than in the adults; they were weak on the wing, but that may have arisen from their being benumbed by the cold, the thermometer standing at 44° only at the above hour. There had been a bright sun during the greater part of the day, but I,had observed a white frost in the morning. I conclude that these late birds were merely seeking a rvosting-place for the night, and not a place of concealment for the winter, although I might have been excused, according to Cuvier,* White,+ &c., had I thought they were taking up their winter quarters; but I have not sufficient faith in the theory to induce me to unslate a part of the, roof to seek for them, which might be done, however, at a trifling cost, pro- vided permission were obtained—H. W. Hadfield; High Cliff, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, January 18, 1856. [Captain Hadfield’s proposed notes on the migration of swallows will be very acceptable.— &. N.] Anecdote of the Turtle Dove (Columba turtur).—Early in August of this year (1855), an adult specimen of the Columba turtur appeared among my pigeons, feeding with them by day and retiring with them to their house at night. This continued for about three weeks, during which time it showed no greater disinclination to domesticity than the fantails and other pigeons with whom it had associated. After this, however, it began to absent itself, at first for a day or so, then returning, but these periodical departures were gradually extended in duration, till at length, merely reappearing at intervals for a few hours, it finally disappeared late in September.— W. W. Wingfield ; Gulval Vicarage, near Penzance. Communicated by Edward Hearle Rodd, E'sq. Recent occurrence of the Great Bustard in Berkshire —On Thursday, January 3, 1856, as a boy about nine years of age was on his way from Hungerford to a lone farm about a mile off, on the road towards Salisbury, with his brother’s dinner, at twelve o’clock, he saw a large red bird on the ground, fluttering about, near the edge of a piece of turnips. He went close up to the bird, and observed that it had a broken leg: he tried to take hold of it, but the bird “pecked at him, bit his fingers and put out his great wings.” He caught hold of one of them, and dragged the bird along * “Le Régne Animal, p. 374 (Hirundo riparia), “Il paroit constant qu'elle sengourdit pendant Vhiver, et méme qu’elle passe cet saison au fond de l’eau des marais.” tT ‘Natural History of Selborne,’ p. 107 (Letter to Hon. D. Barrington, ‘ Migra- tion of Swallows’), “....seem to justify you in your suspicions that at least many of the swallow kind do not leave us in the winter, but lay themselves up in a torpid State.” Page 302 (‘Sand Martins’), “....and gives great reason to suppose that they do not leave their wild haunts at all, but are secreted amidst the clefts and caverns of those abrupt cliffs.” 4996 Birds. the ground by it for nearly a quarter of a mile to the farm, where a farming man killed it by breaking its neck, that the boy, as he said, ‘‘ might carry it easier.” The boy says the bird was quite clean when he first saw it, but that he made it dirty by dragging it along the field. The bird passed through the hands of two or three persons, and came at length into the possession of W. H. Rowland, Esq., of Hunger- ford, who sent it up to Mr. Leadbeater, of Brewer Street, to be preserved. Mr. Row- land did me the favour to call upon me on Saturday, the 12th inst., and went with me to Brewer Street, that I might see the specimen. Mr. Leadbeater had examined the inside of the bird, and had saved the sexual part in spirit, which showed that it was a young male. The bird appeared to be about eighteen or twenty months old, and was, as I believe, a bird of the season of 1854. The fracture of the bone of the leg, with, the skin torn through, about half way between the true heel and the knee, did not ap- pear as if produced by gun shot, nor was there a single perforation in any other part of the skin of the bird. The wound was too high up to have been caused by a trap, and perhaps the accident had occurred by the bustard getting his leg entangled among the bars of sheep-hurdles, and making efforts to get loose. The wound was apparently of some days standing, and had bled considerably. That the bird was weak and ex- hausted may be safely inferred from its allowing a boy to drag it along the ground by the wing, so courageous and fightable as this species is known to be when in health; there was, moreover, very little blood within the skin where the neck was broken. The soft parts had been irrecoverably made away with, or I should have examined the neck with great interest.—W. Yarrell ; Ryder Street, St. James’. Oceurrence of the Bittern at Lewes——Two bitterns were brought me last Saturday, both killed in this parish during the week.— G. Grantham; Barcombe, Lewes, December 22, 1855. Savage Conduct of a Tame Drake.—Having taken considerable trouble, for several years past, in breeding and domesticating wild ducks at this place, I have now often to boast of eighty or one hundred couple of wild ducks to be seen on the pools during the hard weather and when the smaller and less sheltered waters are frozen up: at this time of year I desire the keeper to supply the ducks with barley in the straw and grains after brewing, for them to feed upon, and this induces many of the wild ducks to remain all the year through, and to breed here in the summer months, an account of which, and of the difficulty often met with in rearing the young ones, in conse- quence of the large pike, crows and other vermin attacking the old birds on the nests ana the young ducks when first hatched, appeared some time ago in another periodical publication; but this year I had to encounter another kind of enemy I little antici- pated. In the secluded parts of the range of pools here the wild ducks are accustomed often to make their nests close to the edge of the water and underneath the ledges of projecting rocks which overhang the pools: there being, however, a well-preserved fox- covert along one side of one of the larger pools, the poor ducks, while sitting, often are taken off their nests by the foxes, and the eggs left for the rats to feed upon, which they will do most voraciously, and sometimes in the scuffle with the foxes the eggs may be seen all rolled into the water, and are then totally destroyed. Last breeding season, a farmer, whose farm-yard is but a short distance from one of the pools, from which there is a kind of horse-road down to a drinking-place for his cattle, had a couple of white Aylesbury ducks and a mallard made him a present of; these three confined themselves for several months to the farm-yard and about the ricks, and were generally put up at night time, but in an evil hour they determined to follow the path Birds. A997 leading to the pools, and there regale themselves with an excursion up and down the water, and pay a visit to the wild ducks which frequented the place; but though their colours were so different,—as is the case with the white and pied pheasants here,— there appeared to exist no annoyance or reluctance to allow them to approach the others, and both kinds seemed to do very well, except that the tame ducks unwisely were seen occasionally to land and preen their feathers underneath the projecting ledges of the rocks before mentioned, and close to where the foxes were accustomed to pass in their nightly perambulations, and quite within their hearing in the day time: no harm, however, occurred for a considerable time, till one of the white ducks was found one morning minus its head, the rest having been left untouched by the foxes, _who had plenty of rabbits and other food to feed themselves with. How much or how long the white mallard grieved for his dear departed spouse is uncertain, for having another still left he appeared not to take on inordinately: in a few weeks afterwards his other sponse made a nest away from home, which some other tame ducks never ven- tured to do, and having selected a place too near to the haunts of the foxes her nursery cares were soon over, for she one night disappeared altogether, as might have been_ expected: her sorrowing husband now mourned for his loss in earnest, and might be seen slowly swimming all over the pool, calling, in his low subdued note, for his absent helpmate; but this proving of no avail, and having the use of his wings, he soon began to take short flights round about, and from one pool to another, calling mournfully to his lost duck, but finding no alleviation to his sorrows he immediately paid his addresses to a wild duck then sitting upon nine eggs and near hatching: so pertinacious was he in his suit that he refused the poor duck any respite, and insisted upon her quitting her nest and coming upon the pool to listen to his amorous appeals, and consort with him: this lasted for sume time, till at last he actually pulled and drove the poor duck off her nest, and made her desert it and leaye the place altogether, disdaining the white mallard’s overtures and pretended adoration. But he was not to be baffled in pursuit of a third spouse, and he immediately took to another duck sitting on thirteen eggs, and, following out the same system with this one as with the former duck, he at last destroyed every one of the eggs, which were found strewed about under water near the nest; but here again the faithful duck would have nothing to do with this Turk-like, white-turbaned suitor. Still this inexorable mal- lard once more assailed a third duck, sitting, like the two former, on ten eggs, and after driving her from her nest and harassing her in every possible way, he finally forced her into a soft muddy place, from which the poor duck, after many per- sonal assaults by the mallard, could not extricate herself, and was found smothered. Thus had this implacable animal destroyed three wild ducks’ nests and one of the old birds as well, within the space of about ten days; and instead of boldly making up to some young unmarried duck or widow of the tame kind, or even wild ones, of which there were plenty about, nothing would assuage his passion but this persevering prose- cution of his lawless desires, and the ultimate destruction of three anticipated hopeful families of young wild ducks—sad emblem and example of what too often happens in human life. Finding the havoc which was thus being made amongst the wild ducks, T ordered this tyrant of the waters—as nothing else would keep him in order—to be shot and given to the foxes, which was accordingly immediately done.— W. H. Slaney ; Hatton Hall, January, 1856. ° 4998 Fishes—Crustacea. The ‘Sea-Snake Story a Fiction.—In the November number of the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 4896) I notice an extract from an American paper, respecting the capture of the “ great American snake.” You have probably since learned that the account is an unmitigated hoax, manufactured by a newspaper editor, while on a summer vacation, for the purpose of furnishing material for his editorial correspondence.—Spencer F. Baird ; Smithsonian Institution, Washington, U.S., December 28, 1855. ; The supposed New Flounder.—Mr. Higgins is very fearful that it may be supposed by some readers of my note in the December number (Zool. 4914) that he has been a particeps criminis in the experiments there described as having been performed on the poor little flounders by the unfeeling fisher boys. I am confident that my correspon- dent’s enthusiastic love of Natural History ought to and wili protect him from any such suspicion. I cannot see how such a malversation of meaning can occur to any one. I may say that having again communicated with Mr. Higgins and Mr. Yarrell on the subject, the former still believes it distinct as a species, the latter still believes it a variety of the common flounder.—Edward Newman. Antenne of the Prawn.—In the January number of the ‘ Zoologist’ (Zool. 4968), under the Proceedings of the Entomological Society, there is a note read by Mr. New- man as ‘A fact bearing on the Function of Antenne.’ In this note the following lines occur :— Milne-Edwards considers the shorter or inner pair (of antenne) as auditory organs:” .... “ But Mr. Spence Bate, in a paper lately published in the ‘ Annals’ (No. 91, dated July) attempts exactly to reverse this theory, contending, at great length, that the long exterior antenne are auditory, the shorter ones olfac- tory,” &c. What is here placed to the account of Milne-Edwards should have been given to Mr. Spence Bate, and vice versd. That this is the case the following passage from Vol. I. of the ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Crustacés, p. 124, will show:— Chez la Langouste, le milieu de la membrane qui bouche l’ouverture externe du tubercule auditif, est occupé par une ouverture qui communique avec Vorgan en forme de galette, dont il vient d’étre question, et chez la plupart des Brachyures elle est remplacée en totalité par un petit disque osseux plus ou moins mobile. Dans le “Maia et quelques autres Crustacés a courte queue, la disposition de cette espéce dopercule est trés curieux (pl. 12, fig. 10 *), nous avons constaté, M. Audouin et moi, que de son bord antérieur il nait une lame osseuse assez large3 qui s’en seperan a angle droit, se dirige en haut vers l’organ, en forme de galette, et se termine en pointe; prés de sa base, ce prolongement lamelleux est percé par un grand ouverture ovalaire, et cette espéce de fenétre est bouchée par une membrane mince et elastique, que nous appellerons la membrane auditive interne, et pres de la quelle le nerf auditif parait se terminer;.......du tubercule auditif, et qui, par sa forme, rapeller un peu Uetrier de Coreille humane.” Again, p. 125, “ L’existence de la longue tige rigide, formée par les antennes de la seconde paire et en communication avec Vorgan auditif, pavait étre une autre circonstance de nature a faciliter la perception des sons; cette opinion avait déja été émise par M. Strauss et nous parait s’accorder trés-bien avec divers resultats obtenus par M. Savait,” &c. In the paper to which you refer as published in the ‘Annals’ by myself the following passage occurs :—-“* The * Here Milne-Edwards figures the organ belonging to the external antenna. Insects. A999 next question we have to consider is to which sense either of these two sets of organs belongs ; whether the upper (internal) belongs to the auditory, and the lower (external) to the olfactory, as I shall endeavour to prove, or vice versd, as maintained by Prof. Milne-Edwards,” &c. Dr. Farre on the Macroura, Mr. Huxley on the Stomapoda, and this last, published in the ‘ Annals,’ on the Brachyura, all by independent evidence sup- port the idea of the external antenna being an olfactory organ, and therefore opposed to the whole of the Continental writers, including Blainville, Edwards and Audouin, and lately Von Siebold. The very interesting observations of Mr. Warington on the habits of the living animal directly confirm the deductions, made by us from the structural organization, that the external or second antenna is an organ of smell, and the in- ternal or first antenna is an organ of hearing. I am sure that, in justice to me, you will communicate this to the Entomological Society, and publish the same in your _ next number, as correcting the mistake, in the Proceedings of the Entomological Society, which is published in the ‘ Zoologist,’ as quoting from my paper views opposite to that which it contains.—C. Spence Bate ; Plymouth, January 8, 1856. [I have to express my sincere regret for the blunder which Mr. Spence Bate has pointed out, and will take care that the requisite alteration be made before the paper is reprinted in the ‘ Proceedings of the Entomological Society.’ The reader, however, will please to observe, that, however great the unintentional injury I have done to Milne-Edwards and Mr. Spence Bate by the transposition of their clashing inferences, still my position remfins intact; for my object is simply to show the difficulty which ever attends the assigning of functions to organs which have no homologues in animals with whose senses we are really acquainted.— Edward Newman. | Captures of Lepidoptera in North Wales.—Seeing Mr. Ashworth’s list in the ‘Zoologist’ for September, induces me to give another, having met with many species not named in his list, collected in the months of July, August and September, in the years 1853, 1854 and 1855, in the northern parts of Flintshire, Denbighshire and Carnarvonshire. To give an entire list of all ] met with would not be useful, as many species common to most districts are to be met with in North Wales. A brief sum- mary of those I have met with may not be out of place: of Papilionide I met with twenty-four species; in Sphingide I was less fortunate, having only met with four species ;'in Bombyces, twenty species ; in Noctuide, one hundred species ; in Pyralide, twenty-one species; in Geometride, seventy-six, one of which deserves particular notice; it is a species of Gnophos, allied to obscuraria, but much darker and larger than the southern specimens: several persons who have seen them believe they are a distinct species, but this remains yet to be proved. North Wales seems particularly rich in Eupithecie, having met with fourteen species myself; three other species were shown to me by Mr. Weaver, when we met in Carnarvonshire, that I had not met with. In Tortrices and Tinez I was less fortunate, probably owing to my col- lecting in the later months of the summer. The following list is all I consider worth recording :— Stilbia anomala. On wing at dusk. Luperina furva. At sugar. Leucania conigera. On flowers of ragwort. Spelotis precox. Ditto. » cataleuca. On sugar, and on wing at mid-day. 5000 . Insects. Spelotis pyrophila. On flowers of ragwort. : Agrotis Ashworthii. At rest on limestone rocks. n Botys terrealis. By beating herbage on limestone rocks. Gnophos, nov. spec. At rest on limestone rocks. Emmelesia bifasciaria. On wing at dusk. Eupithecia distinctaria. > x pimpinellaria. sy nanataria. All the Eupithecie were either taken s cognaria. ets We Oe ea i Yr 1 ing for m,. * subfulvaria. at rest ur Dy beating them AS rufifasciaria. Also two other species not yet named. Peronea permutana. By beating. Sciaphila bellana. At rest on limestone rocks. Eupecilia atricapitana. By beating. Crambus falsellus. On an old stone wall. Tinea semifulvella. By beating. Nemotois cupriacellus. On wing at mid-day. Gelechia desertella. In old rabbit-holes. ¥ politella. On wing at dusk. 3 artemisiella. On wing all day. ' * sequax. Ditto. Pe teniolella. Ditto. Laverna Staintoni. On wing at dusk. Pterophorus plagiodactylus. On wing all day. PS. In July I captured Plusia bractea and Exereita Allisella; in November Cry- modes Templi; all in Cheshire.—S. Carter ; 20, Lower Moseley Street, Manchester. Singular Swarm of Vanessa Urtice in December.—The following notice of the capture of a swarm of Vanessa Urtice on the 26th of December, 1855, at the farm of Mr. Banning, Monte Video, Ballacraine, Isle of Man, was sent me by that gentleman, together with the insects themselves :—“ Whilst standing in my farm-yard on the day following Christmas-day, it being unusually fine and warm, I was suddenly astonished by the fall of more than a hundred of the accompanying butterflies. I commenced at once collecting them, and succeeded in securing more than sixty; these I have fed on sugar spread over cabbage-leaves and bran until now, and, to all appearances, those which still survive (more than forty in number) are thriving well, and in good condition.—Alfred Rains; New Brighton, Cheshire, January 19, 1856. Remarks on Mr. Newman's Note relating to Argynnis Lathonia.—Mr. Newman’s idea of appointing a triumvirate, “armed with scissors and absolute power,” is a very good one, but I doubt much whether any will avail themselves of this sciscitation. My notion, when I penned the first note, was that some one, against whom the “grave and reverend” charge was made, would have been first in the field, and up to this time I am so far gratified to see such good sense displayed, whether real or assumed, in not seeking to add in print what is already in black and white. In some instances men are convicted by their silence, whilst in others they are condemned by their speech. The middle path, therefore, is difficult to travel over, yet it may be safely accomplished by those who don’t always require to put on “ seven-league boots” when they start.—John Scoit ; South Stockton, Stockton-on-Tees, January 1, 1856. Insects. 5001 Capture of Parnassius Apollo at Dover; also Argynnis Lathonia, Chrysophanus dispar and Catocala Fraxini, near Chiselhurst, in Kent. — Mr. Dale having obligingly given me a clew to the history of these splendid captures, I immediately wrote to Mr. G. B. Wollaston, of Chiselhurst, who was acquainted with the particulars, and forth- with received the following most courteous reply :— . “ Chiselhurst, February Ist, 1856. “ My dear Sir, — As you wish for more particulars about the capture of Parnas- -sius, I have been to-day to see the person who took it, and hear from his own lips all about it. He was lying on the cliffs at Dover, in the end of August or the beginning of September, 1847 or 1848-(he cannot remember which), when the butterfly settled close to him, and not having his nets with him, captured it by putting his hat over it; he then carried it to his lodgings and shut window and door, and let it goin the room and secured it. He had not the slightest idea what it was till he saw it figured in some work afterwards. The insect has all the appearance of having been taken as he describes ; ‘and as he has no object to deceive, and is a person in whom I can place implicit confidence, I have no doubt, in my own mind, that the specimen is a British one. It will probably be in my own collection before this letter reaches you, when I shall be most happy to show it to you at any time you are this way. With regard to Argynnis Lathonia, I have perhaps, unintentionally, misinformed Mr. Dale. It was captured in this neighbourhood, not by himself, but by an intimate friend and fellow- entomologist, now dead. He has taken Colias Hyale, female, on this common, Chry- sophanus dispar, male, in this parish,—his friend the female: his friend also has taken Catocala Fraxini in the neighbourhood, and Zeuzera Aisculi in this parish. All these insects are in his collection, and have been taken now some years. If I have rightly described them, none of these statements need be doubted. I shall have much plea- sure in giving you further particulars should you require them, and remain “ Yours very sincerel b] “Gero. B. WoLtaston.” - [Mr. Wollaston being, perhaps, comparatively unknown to the Entomological world, I shall be excused if I say that he is a botanist of high standing, and of the most scrupulous veracity and accuracy. It will, I am sure, give him great pleasure to investigate the matter further and to reply to any queries that may be asked. Iam quite unacquainted with Mr. Wollaston’s informant, with whom the onus probandi now appears to rest Edward Newman]. Trochilium chrysidiformis.— In Mr. Stainton’s ‘ Annual’ for 1856, page 29, Mr. E. Brown, of Burton-on-Trent, has “‘ had a specimen in his collection for several years, from Lancashire:” a little more information is necessary: will Mr. Brown be kind enough to publish in the ‘ Zoologist’ from whom he received the specimen, and particulars of capture? The only species that have occurred in this part for many years are T. sphegiformis, T. culiciformis and T. tipuliformis——R. S. Edleston ; Manchester, December 20, 1855. Occurrence of Luperina abjecta in Flintshire.—I, last summer, took a specimen of Luperina abjecta, near Holywell, in Flintshire, by treacling the trees. As [ am only a beginner, I should not have ventured to pronounce it to be a rare species, had not Mr. T. F. Brockholes, of Birkenhead, been kind enough to examine it, and assured me that it was so.— Alfred Walker ; Chester, January 21, 1856. XIV. L 5002 Insects. Capture of Lepidoptera near Horsham.—l beg to inform you that I have captured ~ since 1850, — Glea rubiginea, two specimens, one on ivy, and one at sugar; Xylina petrificata, six specimens, one on ivy, the rest at sugar; Xylina semibrunnea, two spe- cimens at sugar: they were taken between October 19th and November 6th. Rusper is on the border of Sussex, about eleven miles south of Mickleham, where these insects were taken by Mr. Walton.—H. I. Gore ; Rusper Rectory, Horsham, Sussex, November 24, 1855. The Larva of Carpocapsa pomonana feeding on the Fig. —That Carpsocapsa pomonana feeds on the fig may not be generally known: allow me to state the fact. A larva of this species, which I tock out of foreign figs covered itself with a white web on the 19th of December, 1854, and the perfect insect appeared in April last. There was a fire in the room in which I kept it, which would hasten its appearance to some extent.— Thomas Chapman; Glasgow, December 19, 1855. Observations on Micro-Lepidoptera.—Having lately received from Mr. T. Wilkinson, of Scarborough, a letter, in which there are several items of valuable information, I send you the following extracts for publication :— Exapate gelatella. The larva feeding between united leaves of willow, in July, 1850, near Bristol: the moth flies freely from ten to twelve o’clock on fine sunny mornings. Roslerstammia Erxlebella. Found in plenty at Leigh Wood, near Bristol, on the leaves of lime-trees;* frequently in copuld on the leaves; also found on the wing on fine sunny mornings the last week in May and beginning of June. Mr. Wilkinson inclines to think there is a second brood towards the end of August and beginning of September, but not nearly so numerous. Bucculatrix hippocastanella. This occurred in plenty, frequenting the same trees. Cigoconia quadripunctella. Four fine specimens taken on the 31st of July, 1851, in Clifton, on an old wall much covered with moss. Laverna ochraceella. The larva begins to mine from the root of the Epilobium hirsutum in the spring, as soon as the plant begins to shoot: Mr. Wilkinson found the larve, then very young, the second week. in May last, sometimes as many as four on one stem: the larva never by any chance quits the stem till about to change to the pupa. This habit of the larva is a real discovery, for we Londoners had always failed to find where the larve came from, though the fact of the perfect insects always going greasy led us to conclude that the larve must be internal feeders. Chrysoclista Schrankella. The larve in great plenty at Scarborough on the leaves of the same plant.—H. 7. Stainton; Mountsfield, Lewisham, January 21, 1856. Occurrence of Tinea imella at Stockton.—On the 6th of July last, whilst enjoying my pipe in the evening, at the back of the garden-wall of my house, a single specimen of this insect was started from the wall, which I had the good fortune to secure. It is a female, and in fine condition.—John Scott; South Stockton, Stockton-on-Tees, January 1, 1856. * This would appear to confirm the account given by the late Madame Lienig, that “the larva feeds on limes in May and September, on the under side of the leaves, in which it eats large round holes.”—Tsis, 1846. a, a ye at» - ites Insects. 5003 Capture of Tinea pallescentella at Stockton.—In a neighbour's house, where I was sitting in the beginning of September last, with the gas lighted and the window a little raised, an example of this hitherto scarce species came flying in, and rested on the back of a chair. I boxed it safely, and it now’stands in my collection: itis a little worn.—Zd. Occurrence of Nemophora pilella at Stockton.—In the beginning of May, last year, I beat this insect out of a thorn-hedge, and again in June one or two others fell to my lot. I may add that I have not seen any specimens so dark as those taken by me. No doubt it only requires looking for by others to make them as fortunate as myself.—Id. Note on Antherophagus nigricornis and Bombus sylvarum.—Mr. Smith, in his admirable work on British bees, records the finding of Antherophagus glaber in the nest of Bombus Derhamellus. This season I met with an instance of the manner in which such insects may be transported thither. When hunting Bombi, in September last, two peculiar motions of a neuter of B. sylvarum attracted my attention: it was clinging to a thistle-head, and wriggling and twisting its legs about in all directions. On getting hold of it I found that a large specimen of Antherophagus nigricornis had seized the tarsus of a hind leg between its jaws, and was holding on like grim Death. I put both into my bottle, and the Antherophagus retained its hold until both were killed by the fumes of the laurel.— Thomas John Bold ; Angas’ Court, Biyg Market, Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 27, 1855. Occurrence of Agabus pulchellus in Seotland.—I am indebted to Mr. Wailes, of Newcastle, for a specimen of the Colymbetes pulchellus of Heer, captured by Mr. Wailes, in company with others of the same species, in Loch Achray, and on the north shore of Loch Katrine, in September, 1853. After giving this insect a most careful examination, although having no doubt that Mr. Wailes has correctly named it as the C. pulchellus of Heer, I still feei hesitation in considering it distinct as a species, since it seems to me to differ chiefly from the too familiar A. maculatus in the colour of the elytra, which are uniformly dark and immaculate. In answer to this suggestion, Mr. Wailes writes, ‘‘ The facies of the insect is very different from that of C. maculatus; it is much more elongate and smoother, and Heer draws the distinction very accurately: it is not mentioned by Aubé, whose work is anterior to Heer’s.” Seeing my opinion opposed to that of such very careful and acute observers as Heer and Mr. Wailes, I willingly withdraw it, too delighted to add another species to my series of Colymbetes.— Edward Newman. Query as to the Eggs of Agabus.—Can any of your readers tell me where the eggs of the Agabi are deposited, or if any of the species have been noticed with them _ adhering to the legs or to the body as in Hydrous piceus? My reasons for asking these questions are as follows. In taking the species which I named dispar, I ob- served that many of the females had attached to the hairs on the under side of the anterior and intermediate femora (generally to the latter), bundles of a white granular matter, which an examination with my pocket glass led me to believe were eggs. This I was unable satisfactorily to determine, for not reaching home until long after nightfall, they had to be set aside until next morning when I found that the crawling of the insects over each other and upon the damp paper in the bottle, had so much altered their appearance that I did not submit them to microscopic examination. In thinking the matter over since, I am much inclined to believe that these bundles must have been eggs: had it been a substance on which the species had been feeding, the / 5004 Insects. males would have been in the same plight as their partners: such, however, was not the case, whilst fully two-thirds of the females were so burdened.—Thomas John Bold; Angas’ Court, Bigg Market, Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 27, 1855. Capture of Agabus dispar—t have this season had the pleasure of taking a fine series of Agabus dispar (or, as our leading Coleopterists say, uliginosus), the first time since 1848, although I have oft carefully searched the locality. This uncertainty of occur- rence and peculiarity of habit is a case in point of the necessity for close and continued search, even of the same places, year by year, if we would add novelties to our insect fauna. Even the commonest species of Hydradephaga will swarm for one season, then disappear and their places frequently be filled by others. By taking advantage of this, and working the ground thoroughly, more substantial progress will be made than by collecting at great distances, when the most of our time is sacrificed in travelling. But to return to A. dispar: immediately after the heavy July rains, thinking the time favourable, I went to Boldon Flats, Durham, for the express purpose of seeking this and one or two other rarities. I fuund the country flooded ; in many places only the tops of the ridges above water. Commencing in the most “likely” places, those whence I took it in 1848, I worked all the forenoon, and hard too, but without pro- ducing anything better than femoralis. Disappointed and tired, I sought the shade of a hedge (for the sun was scorching hot), had some lunch, rested a little, and then set too and tried the “ unlikely ” places; one of these, the recently flooded furrows of a grass-field, produced what I sought. These “diggings,” however, required hard work to make them productive ; I had to dredge them over and over again, and the more I puddled the water the greater was my success. In addition to A. dispar, the locality furnished me with examples of Hydroporus rufifrons, Duft., H. vittula, Frich., and ' H. nigrita, Fab. When amongst the débris in the net, A. dispar simulates death with a good deal of perseverance, and it is quite necessary to allow time for careful examination before it be emptied. — Zd. Capture of and Localities for Hydroporus latus, Steph. —This insect is apparently one of our rarest and most local species. As this may arise from the peculiarity of its habit, I think that a notice of such, with localities, will probably lead to its being found elsewhere. The first time that I found it was in the Ouseburn, Northumber-- land, in July, eight or ten years ago, when I took a couple of specimens; here it was amongst shelving rocks: this locality I have dredged every year since, but without success. I next found a single specimen in the river Derwent (Durham), amongst gravel, in April, 1854. During the past season (1855) I sought for it with con- considerable assiduity, and found it in two widely different localities: the first was in an open drain on a Cumberland common, near Lannercost, and locally known as “Mrs. Bells Common.” Here, however, they were few and far between; a whole day’s hard working (under a burning sun and tormented by “clegs,’ in hundreds) producing twenty-two specimens, of which several were imperfect: this was in the first week in July. In September I visited one of the wildest of our wild moun- tain streams, the “ Devil’s Water” (Durham), which, rising on extensive moors, runs a furious course over a rocky bed, and empties itself into the Tyne between Hexham and Corbridge. Here I again found H. latus, and in what I believe will prove to be its natural habitat, viz., amongst the large stones of a rapid running river: for although I found the greater number of specimens in the stream near Lannercost, still I think that they must have come there from the river King, which is a stream of the same nature as the Devil’s Water, and to which the drain runs: this I hope more Insects. 5005 particularly to test another season. On being disturbed, H. latus immediately crawls down amongst the stones, not rising in the water as H. Davisii, H. septentrionalis, and others invariably do: hence an ordinary net is of no use whatever, as it will not go in amongst the stones, and dredging them up is quite impossible. The dozen that I caught were taken by hand, an uncomfortable and very slow process. Another sea- son I must manufacture a net for the especial benefit of this broad-backed fellow, whose powerful frame and robust legs are so well adapted for clinging to the stones of a mountain torrent.—Jd. Synonymic List of the British Species of Philhydrida, with Notices of Localities, &c. By the Rev. Hamuet Ciark, M.A. In a complete systematic arrangement of Coleoptera, the group of water-beetles, Philhydrida of Stephens, are evidently more closely allied to the Lamellicornes than to the Hydrocantharide ; they occupy the same place with regard to the former that the Hydrocantharide do with reference to the Geodephaga; they are subfamilies of two distinct families: this is abundantly evident from their structure and habits, and this position has been assigned to them by our principal writers. Practically, however, to a field naturalist the two groups are insepa- rable ; no one can pay any attention to one without constantly meeting with species of the other: in the examination of pools and ditches Hydrobii and Berosi are found in the same net with Hydropori; while in streams Elmide and Hydrene occur with Hydroporus rivalis, H.latus and H. septentrionalis. I propose, therefore, as an addendum to my previous paper on Hydrocantharide, to point out, so far as I am able, the British species of Philhydrida; noticing, when necessary, their localities, or any peculiarities of structure or nomen- clature. A few hints as to the best modes of collecting these insects may be of interest to the younger readers of the ‘ Zoologist.’ Hydrocantharidz are water rovers; they affect certainly the shelter of aquatic plants, but love to wander from end to end of their pool or ditch; the Rypo- phaga, on the contrary, are more stationary: some of them, as Hele- phorns, Hydrochus, Philhydrus, are found on the leaves and stems of water-plants; Heterocerus, Parnus, Georyssus, Octhebius and, I believe, Sperchzeus, live in or on the surface of mud; Elmis, Hydrena and Limnebius are found in greatest abundance in mossy rivulets ; 5006 Insects. Cercyon and Spheridium (with few abe piieiney in decaying Mca substances. Heteroceri are found in profusion on the muddy banks of pools or rivers, by digging them out of their burrows just below the surface; Parnus abound at the roots of grass in almost every wet muddy locality: Georyssus was taken some years ago by Mr. Waterhouse at Southend, on wet banks ofa little stream trickling down the cliffs to the west of the town; the insect covers itself with a coating of mud, in which it appears to live, and which adheres to it after death; it was taken plentifully in 1835, running about, as atoms of wet clay, on the margins of the stream; Octhebius also is found on mud, but below the surface of the water: the collector should provide himself with a stick or stout branch with which he may thoroughly stir up and disturb the whole of the mud at the bottom of the water; by this means the insects lose their hold and float up to the surface in great numbers: . they are then readily secured by the water-net. The moss-loving groups of Elmis and Hydrena require quite a different mode of operation; they have been met with in the utmost profusion by the Rev. W. Hey in Yorkshire; Dr. Power in Northum- berland; and myself in several localities in North Wales. In searching for them the entomologist will look out for mossy stones, which abound inand, at the sides of the channel of mountain streams; for, though the stream itself will often supply occasional examples, these mossy stones are their metropolis. Ifthe stream flows over the stone to be examined, let the net be placed on the lee side, so that when the moss is disturbed all the contents may be carried by the stream at once into it; then, by raking up the moss with the fingers, all its inhabitants are of course secured. Ifthe moss is dry, or only partially under water, either the stream must be made to flow over it, or it may be torn off and washed in the net. In this group, more perhaps than in any other, neatness and care in setting out the insects for the cabinet is requisite: I attach the greatest importance to this point: a single example of an insect well displayed on card is more valuable than twenty imperfectly mounted. I am — satisfied, from a careful consideration of Mr. Stephens’ cabinet, and | from a comparison of its state with the species which he has sought to establish out of its contents, that not a few of the errors into which we have fallen in nomenclature are owing simply to the little time and care allotted to mounting examples. The naturalist who has captured but little during the season, but who has not spared pains in preparing that little as perfectly as possible, so that the insects on his card repre- Insects. 5007 sent, as closely as he is able to make them, the characters, positions and habits of the insects as he saw them alive—that naturalist has probably done more towards clearing up some of our difficulties than another who may have been, in the field, infinitely more successful, but who has lacked the leisure faithfully to represent nature in his cabinet. Of the different modes of setting out these insects,— gumming on points of wedges of card, as was formerly adopted; setting out on talc, or pinning with iron wire, as obtains on the Continent; or mounting the specimens on a flat surface of card,—the last is facile princeps, pre-eminently the best. Insects fastened on the points of cards are never safe; by the least spring of the pin in moving them from the cabinet they are probably lost for ever; and no one who has expe- rienced the difficulty of handling specimens mounted after the foreign method can, I think, prefer that; but well-carded specimens, with tolerably stout pins, are free from all these objections; if dusty, they may be brushed with a camel-hair pencil: if required to be placed under the microscope, they are most readily adjusted; should they become loose from the cork of the travelling box, they are well pro- tected from injury; and, which is of the greatest moment, they best represent the insect in its living state. The “ effects of isolation” and of peculiarity of locality are nowhere more marked, and nowhere more important to be carefully noticed, than among the Rypophaga, though to what extent these manifest results are to be allowed to affect species is a question which presents itself in every department of nature as one of great interest. I do not pro- pose to enter upon this subject now, but notice it as suggesting the great importance of registering carefully the date and locality of each capture: to know certainly that an insect was taken at such a date, from moorland, from mountain, or from fen, is not merely knowledge © that makes the collection of greater interest, but the only process by which we can hope to assign to each of the many varieties of this | ‘group its proper position and typical specific representative. As to the nomenclature of the species, no two authorities and no two cabinets agree; the subject has received comparatively little attention, and hence there is no ground for surprise at meeting with difficulties: these difficulties may perhaps be an excuse for me, should any error be discovered in the synonymy proposed ; but that they have not been insurmountable is owing to the great and valued assistance which I have received from Dr. Power and Mr. Waterhouse. I do not say that these excellent entomologists have endorsed every name, as 5008 Insects. that would make them responsible for errors for which I alone am accountable ; but that they have, in several instances, in which, without them, I should have arrived at doubtful and unsatisfactory conclusions, either confirmed my opinion by their own, or given opportunity for a reconsideration of the point in question. To Dr. Gray and the gentlemen of the Entomological si ment in the British Museum I am also under obligations, for the courtesy with which they have allowed me free access to the histori-. cally valuable collection of the late Mr. Stephens, now under their charge. | HAMLET CLARK. Northampton, February 13, 1856. Humming in the Air.—White, in his ‘Selborne, writes of not being able to account for the “ humming in the air’’; Captain Chawner told me that since White’s time the country people had found out what occasioned it, and the Captain and [ tried the experiment by throwing a stone up in the air, when the humming was observed, and the stone, in its descent, was accompanied by a specimen of Helophilus. I recol- lect, at school, we used to throw up a piece of white or brown shard to attract a white or brown butterfly, and down would come the butterfly in | the same manner. — J. C. Dale ; Gilanville’s Wootton, January 12, 1856. Excrescences on the Leaves of Willows.—Last autumn I noticed at Norwood, Sydenham and Forest Hill, the leaves of the young willow-trees to be covered with a curious brown excrescence, which, at a little distance, had quite the ornamental effect of a blossom. Will you oblige me, any time at your leisure, with the name of the in- sect that caused this appearance ?— William Atkinson ; January, 12, 1856. [Please to send some when again met with, and I will try to explain them: a very common excrescence is caused by Euura Galle.—Edward Newman]. Wasp in January. — A wasp in January is rather a rare occurrence ; one, however, visited a member of this household the night before last while in bed, and stung him three times before it was secured. I think this worth noticing, as last summer their scarcity was the subject of general remark.—George Guyon ; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, January 21, 1856. Note on the British Museum Lists of British Insects.—I observe that Forficula decipiens is omitted: I presented specimens of this insect to the British Museum Cabinet: is it possible it can be only a variety? and if a variety, of which species? Again, Forficula forcipata I find on the coast, while borealis, although very similar, I _ take here by beating the hedges, and never in company with F. auricularia, which comes in plenty to sugar when placed as a bait for moths. Ialso see that Panorpa germanica of Curtis is not considered distinct from P. communis; I never take them together.—J. C. Dale ; Glanville’s Wootton, January 12, 1856. Entomological Botany. 5009 Effects of Light and Heat on Actinie.—In the last number of the ‘ Zoologist’ are some remarks by Mr. Warington, on the injurious effects of exposing an aquarium too long to the heat of the sun. In July, 1854, I lost some Actiniz (sea-anemonies), which I had conveyed to Richmond and kept about three weeks, by leaving the bottle incautiously on the window-sill exposed to the sun for two or three hours. Some fresh- water animals in another bottle similarly placed shared the same fate, save one little Hydroporus pictus, which, thanks to a good constitution, survived and continued to flourish among all the débris for at least three or four months, though no growing plants were afterwards introduced, obtaining sufficient oxygen probably by excursions to the surface. Screens of muslin, &c. are perfectly efficient when properly attended to; but during absence from home, when the aquarium must be left to the care of others, the inhabitants are very likely to suffer from too little sun-light or too much sun-heat. I, therefore, put forth the following suggestion, in case any one chooses to ascertain its feasibility. Since photography has become a popular science, it is pretty _ generally known that the three principles existing in common light, — luminosity, _ heat and chemical action, are to a great extent separable, and reside respectively in _ the yellow, red and blue rays of the spectrum. It is moreover, I believe, considered that growing plants decompose carbonic acid and liberate the oxygen under the influ- ence of the luminous or yellow rays: if this latter opinion is correct, would not the in- . terposition of a screen of yellow glass, while giving free admittance to the purifying influence, effectually prevent the water from getting over-heated, by arresting the pro- gress of the red or heat-giving rays? — George Guyon; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, January 21, 1856. Entomological Botany (with more especial reference to the Plants Jrequented by the Tineina). By H. T. Sratnton, Esq. (Continued from page 4894). Poterium Sanguisorba. Lesser Burnet. This appears to be the special food of the pale yellowish larva of Peronea aspersana, but I am not aware that it is so of any other Lepidopterous larva. Agrimonia Eupatoria. Common Agrimony. A common plant on banks or the dry borders of fields, pushing up a long stem as it goes to seed. By the bye, the seeds of respectable size and hardness ought to be the pabulum of something. The leaves are frequently mined by the larve of Nepticula aurella. Alchemilla vulgaris. Common Lady’s Mantle. * Cited by Speyer as the food-plant of.Zerene Alchemillata. XIV. M 5010 Entomological Botany. Potentilla anserina. Silver-weed. This plant is too common to be passed over in silence, but, though I have often looked on it I never yet found a Lepidopterous larva either at breakfast or dinner. Potentilla reptans. Common Creeping Cinquefoil. Potentilla tormentilla. Common Tormentil. Both common plants; the latter apparently ubiquitous, growing freely on sand-hills by the sea-side and on the summits of Scotch mountains. No Lepidopterous larva has been observed on either. Potentilla Fragariastrum. Barren Strawberry. The small white flowers peeping out from amongst the silky leaves are among the harbingers of spring; it delights to grow on shady banks and by the side of path-ways in woods. In the month of September the leaves will be found mined in contorted, slender tracks, by the larva of an unknown Nepticula, which Professor Frey hopes to breed in the spring (see ‘ Entomologist’s Annual,’ 1856, p. 62, Enigma No. 5). I have no doubt that the larva of Lampronia prelatella eats the leaves of this plant with as much satisfaction as those of Fragaria vesca. Comarum palustre. Marsh Cinquefoil. Speyer quotes as feeding on this, Tortrix spectrana, but I am not aware of any plant growing in moist places that that larva will not eat. As this plant is most at home in peaty bogs, where queer insects may be expected to turn up, it should be scrutinized closely by those who may happen to meet with it. Fragaria vesca. Wood Strawberry. Speyer enumerates the following as feeding on this plant :—Poly- ommatus Alexis, Thymele Alveolus, Saturnia Carpini, Callimorpha dominula, Teniocampa I-cinctum, Phlogophora scita, Hyppa recti- linea and Lampronia prelatella: the two species whose names are here given in Italics have not yet been found in this country; P. scita, it must be borne in mind, has some resemblance to Meticulosa, and is a species far more likely to be found here than Empyrea; I-cinctum, allied to our common Gothica, is a more southern species, though it has been found in the neighbourhood of Paris. ie TS ; Entomological Botany. 5011 Lampronia prelatella is one of the most interesting feeders on this plant; none can see, for the first time, the habit of the larva, without a feeling of astonishment at the endless diversity of instinct in these little creatures. The larva constructs a flattened case, not exactly in the form of the figure 8, because not so attenuated in the middle, but very like a fiddle without a handle: in this case it creeps about slug- gishly on the leaves of the plant, and when it finds a piece to its taste, instead of eating it 2 sctw, it cuts off a large piece and walks away with it; it then attaches its case to the under side of the leaf, and pulls the loose piece of leaf alongside of it, so that the larva and case become completely concealed between the growing leaf and the piece it has cut off for its own private eating; perhaps as the piece thus taken in for store becomes a little withered before it is all eaten, this caterpillar may belong to that class of epicures who like their food a little high. When, during cold weather, their appetites are not so great, they content themselves with slowly nibbling the edges of the leaf, without laying in a private hoard. Whether Lampronia luzella feeds in any similar way is to us at present a mystery, nor have we any clew to its food-plant. The wood strawberry is mined by a Nepticula, I believe Aurella, and also by a Dipterous larva. Rubus Ideus. Raspberry. Though best known as a denizen of our gardens, “ the wild raspberry grows plentifully in mountainous woods and thickets, especially in the North,” and it is in its native haunts that it ought to be most closely examined by the energetic collectors of the North. Speyer cites as feeding on the raspberry, Argynnis Daphne, A. Paphia, Trochilium Hyletforme, Saturnia Carpini, Callimorpha Hera, Cerastis Vaccinil, Scopelosoma satellitia, Calocampa vetusta, C. exoleta, Zerene albicillata, Polypogon tarsicrinalis, P. barbalis, Scopula prunalis, Sericoris Urticana, and Notocelia Udmanniana: those species, the names of which are printed in Italics, are not yet reputed British; though I am aware that C. Hera has recently been taken at Newhaven, and has lodged a claim for admission to our lists, which claim will probably come on for hearing at the next meeting of the Entomological Society. Of Trochilium Hyleiforme the larva feeds in the roots of Rubus Idzeus in winter and spring, and, as the species is extremely probable to occur here, this suggestion may be of use. _ Among the Tineina larve feeding on this plant one of the most im- portant is Lampronia Rubiella; the natural history of this species was 5012 Natiural-History Collectors. published, as far back as 1781, by Bjerkander, in the ‘ Acta Holmiz,’ p- 20: the following translation of his notice will probably not be un- interesting to many of my readers:—“On the 9th of May, 1780, as the raspberry-bushes were beginning to put forth their leaves, I noticed some red maggots, which had eaten through the buds into the stems ; on the 30th of the month they had spun silken cocoons, and on the 23rd of June, when the raspberry-bushes began to bloom, the moths made their appearance. On the 4th of August, when the raspberries were ripening, we observed the same sort of caterpillars (then one line long) seeking their food on the receptacles, and we continued to see them until the end of the month; probably they go down to the ground, and live through the winter without feeding, but in the spring they seek their proper nourishment. Since from four to eight of these wretches were on one stem, and injured (if they did not quite consume) the buds which would have produced leaves and flowers, we can perceive why, in some years, the delicious raspberries are less abundant.” The next raspberry-feeder I have to mention has not yet been found here, though it certainly will be before long; the moth is a spotless — gray Hyponomeuta, with a ferruginous head; it is the Stannella of Thunberg: this species has not yet been bred, but a gregarious Hy- ponomeuta larva has been found in Silesia on the Rubus Ideus, which is suspected to belong to this species. H. T. STarnron. Mountsfield, Lewisham, December, 1855. Proceedings of Natural-History Collectors in Foreign Countries. Mr. H. W. Bates.+—* Villa Nova, Province of the Amazons, Sep- tember 12th, 1854.—I had prepared all arrangements in April for as- cending the upper river, having ascertained at length the arrangement of the steamer from Ega. Villa Nova is a peculiar locality: in December, 1849, in two or three days I was astonished at the num- ber of new things I met with, but at present I have been disappointed; the ground which [ hunted then is as yet under water, and I suppose the right season for the locality is from November to about February. Of Erycinide, at present, I have seen scarcely any; Nymphalide are more abundant, at present, however, few new (one new Timetes, one new Agrias(?), one new Heterochroa, one Pyrrhogyra, &c.) ; Morphos, * Communicated by Mr. 8S. Stevens. EEE ee Natural-History Collectors. - — «60138 five or six pieces, two of which fly so high and rapidly that I cannot get at them; one of them is either Adonis or Cytheris, the other I do not know. In Coleoptera and Hemiptera I have got a fair amount of new species, but still this is nothing compared to what I ought to be doing higher up. I send a box of my private collection of those families which I cannot keep any longer, on account of mould: the Staphylinide have all been twice cleaned with spirit, and I am afraid they will become spoilt if I keep them any longer. I must explain a little the remarks made on butterflies to Mr. Hewitson; the sexes figured as different species are Limnas Vitula and L. Thyatira; I think I ticketed them male and female, but if not, of course Mr. Hewitson, and no one else, could divine that these were the same spe- cies of insect; besides this, I rather think the female of Catagramma Peristera, is not the true one,—“ species placed in wrong genera.” I made this remark because I thought strongly there was much incon- gtuity in his plate of Lemonias. Lemonias is identical in neuration, palpi, legs, &c. with Nymphidium; but it isa good genus, and offers a distinct character in its habits from Nymphidium, the species reposing always with the wings closed, whilst all the Nymphidiums repose with wings open; I sent in December last the females of two species of Lemonias, which are very different from the males, whilst in Nymphidium the femalgs are similar to the males. Now, Mr. Hewit- son’s Lemonias Senta and L. Rhodope have none of these characters of the Lemonias ; I think they are Nymphidiums, and their introduction into Lemonias destroys the harmony of both the genera. “The Mundurucits, and, I think, the Manhés also, in their natural state, shave the head, except the front, where they leave a fringe of long hair: when they leave their villages to come with the traders to the civilized places, they let it grow in the usual way. Now, if the hair is wanted to glue to a model, it ought to be in the style of the savages; if only for physiological examination, the hair of any Indian born in the villages will do.* The tribe Pauxés are long ago extinct: the Puris (called Purupurds at Ega) inhabit away up the river Puris; the Munduructs inhabit the right bank of the river Tapajos; the Manhés the left bank of the same, as well as the rivers behind Villa Nova; the domesticated Indians in Villa Nova are Nearly all Manhés, Mundurucis or Muras. I made a short (very short) vocabulary of Manhés and Mundurucis on Rio Tapajos; I could not find a single word the same in the two languages. * This is in reference to a request to procure the hair of the native Indians for Dr. Latham. 5014 Natural-History Collectors. “T have looked for the fresh-water sponge here without success at present ; when waters sink it is found on branches of trees in Ygapés, &c. There is no want of Ygapos here,—many miles of gloomy hol- lows in the forest: it will be curious if the sponge is only found in black waters, the Tapajos being black, whilst the Amazons and creeks here are white; in the same way I cannot find here either orchids or ferns (except two very small species). “T am very sorry to hear of the damage done to my collection at the Custom-house; that was the best box, and, in fact, I'think, the very best box of butterflies 1 have ever sent: no one knows the days and weeks of patient search that collection cost me; those beautiful little Erycinide were so very rare, and Alta do Chao was the only place in which I had seen many of the species; [ am sure many of the grand Diurnes, now so highly prized, will become common in collections long before these Erycinide.” ) ** Villa Nova, December 15th, 1854. “T now send you the result of three months’ further labour at this place. Upon the whole I consider it a poor locality ; which I attri- bute to the want of creeks of running water and moist places in the forest. The last collection I sent was on the 12th of September, which I hope arrived safe. There is noe particular, I think, to call your attention to in the present coll€ction: I hope the fine Agrias is new to you, as it is to me; there is also a new Kueides and some beautiful Hesperiz. With regard to the various orders for other things I have from different friends, I can do scarcely anything at present. For Dr. Latham I have done nothing (because impossible here), except getting the exact colour of some few Indians ; I cannot get the hair here, as the few Manhés in domestic service here are kept soclose cropped. In feathered dresses, weapons (except bows), height, proportions, &c. of a number of full-grown individuals, I can- not do anything without making a special voyage to the villages of the pure blood Indians, which would take me two months. I have a number of notes on the subject of Indians, in which I make out that the whole mass of nations is strongly marked into two distinct classes, &c.; this, by-and-bye, I will communicate to Dr. Latham, if it be interesting to him, but first I should like to see what Mr. Wallace’s observations are on the same subject. “In economic Botany I have only two subjects collected here, not worth sending by themselves, one of them is the Piao (Pinhao, Lind. Natural-History Collectors. 5015 \ Veg. Kingd.); the other is a beautiful silky fibre of a species of Mal- vacez, which I think might be made a branch of commerce. “There is no doubt whatever that the country from Ega to Moyobamba is the richest country in America, in beauty and variety of all departments of Natural History, and the least known, be- cause difficult of access, and beset with the greatest difficulties (as scarcity of food, poverty and savageness of the Indians, and incessant plague of mosquitos, &c.) To-day a French gentleman passed this village on the road from Moyobamba to Para; he is an amateur geogra- pher (M. Emile Carrey) ; he brought a few hundreds of Nymphalidz (in papers), collected in four or five excursions, around Moyobamba : he tells me that the residents there said they never had an entomolo- gist there. Imagine the treat 1 had to examine the whole of the spe- cimens; they showed me that Moyobamba is indeed a totally new place with respect to Nymphalide: there were some fifteen species of Catagramma alone. M. Carrey was surprised to be shown the dif- ference in the species ; he thought they were all the same! This fact, together with another, namely, that he could not find any insects at Ega, shows what I could do by a little close investigation. Besides the Catagramma, I noted two Papilio Zagreus and a new Megas- tanis(?), in all about twenty-five species of the loveliest Nymphalide, new to me: three-fourths of the collection of course were common Callidryas, Agraulis, &c.” “ April 30th, 1855. “ The small collection now sent contains a few very choice things I believe. In Coleoptera, there are two species of Ctenostoma and a new Megacephala (very similar to M. curta, Reiche, but smaller, more _ parallel in shape, &c., and found in company with Spixii, at Villa Nova, in the earth: M. curta is found under stones close to water, and is common at Santarem, where the new species does not exist) : there are many species of Coleoptera which I never sent before. In Lepidoptera, there is a new Eueides; the two or three Catagramme and one or two others please note as Moyobamba insects, from a few given me by M. Emile Carrey. There are about twenty specimens of the new insect Gnostus formicicola, Westw.: it is found, strange _ enough, only in one little corner on the edge of the woods, in the gal- leries only of one small species of ant. Since Sunday last I have ex- amined every hollow twig and branch in the neighbourhood and got only twenty-two specimens; fourl keep with me, I send you nineteen, | including one old specimen I had kept over from last year. The same dry twigs contain quite as many habitations of other ants, ~ 5016 Natural-History Collectors. as Cryptocerus cordatus, Smith.; but the Gnostus is found only in company with the one species of small Myrmica. In opening one twig, I observed a Myrmica carrying one of the Gnostus in its man- dibles. I examined frequently dry twigs, &c. in Villa Nova, for ants and their parasites, but found none; in fact, it is difficult to devote oneself sufficiently closely to minute things, when large, conspicuous insects turn up daily, such as was the case at Villa Nova; I worked there daily about five months before finding a Ctenostoma; about a fortnight before I came away I began to get one neatly every day: such is Entomology! One clear year should be devoted to every locality on the larger insects alone, a second year to the minute ones, and two or three years to birds, plants and shells. “You will be sorry to hear I have returned to Santarem; I had no alternative, my health got very low in Villa Nova from bad food. I have now the pleasure of saying that I never felt better, more disposed to work, or happier since I have been in the country. I can assure you with certainty now (D.V.) that I am off to the Upper Amazons; I shall have to get to the Barra in time for the three-monthly Nanta steamer, z. e. the 15th of June. Mr. Spruce, I hear, went last voyage, the 15th of March. I shall make Ega head quarters, have a cottage there with a small canoe and a couple of hands, and thus visit all the other places up to Nanta,inclusive. I shall attend to all departments of Natural History, making insects the chief: I take up an immense lot of boxes, &c., all ready; have bought two new guns, &c. The last two months I have worked hard at birds; I never have taken any © pains with them before ; now, they tell me I put them up very nicely. Since I began to notice birds here, I have been surprised to see how | many species of humming birds there are, even at Santarem ; I have | shot six very distinct species, and have seen, I am sure, four others.” “ga, Upper Amazons, August 16, 1855.* “My last letter was from Santarem, I believe, after | had received your parcel of ‘ Athenzums, &c. I now write from Ega, 900 miles further _ up the river, and I suppose you will like to have some account of my voyage. In 1849-50 it took me ninety-seven days travelling from Obydos to Ega; this year I accomplished the journey from Santarem | to this place in eight days! (fourteen days including six of delay at Barra), thanks to the Rio Janeiro Government, who pay a steam-boat company an enormous sum to run steamers in a country where the » * Communicated by Mr. F. Bates. Natural-History Collectors. 5017 traffic, I should think, scarcely pays for coal and grease. I was for- tunate in my voyage, performing it just in the ‘ nick’ of time to escape two very grave inconveniences: one was the cholera, which broke out at Para, and the next steamer after my voyage suffered horribly; eleven men died in the eight days’ journey from Para to Barra: the other in- convenience was the Upper Amazon steamer, which, a few days after depositing me at Ega, got aground on atsand-bank, the river sinking at the time, so that she remained high and dry for about five weeks, the passengers having to descend in an open boat to Barra. I am sincerely thankful for my good fortune in landing in health and safety, with all my baggage perfectly sound, and in being able to begin my rambles in these glorious forests two days afterwards. ~ “T arrived on the 19th of June, so that I have been here about two months, and have collected 2600 chosen insects, besides a few land- shells, &c. There is a wonderful difference in the general run of species between this place and Santarem; in fact, with the exception of a very few, common everywhere, the whole insect Fauna is changed : the soil is different, the forests are composed of quite a different class of trees, but there is no place on the Lower Amazons that can at all be compared with Ega, in its exuberant fertility,—rich, fat, black soil,— teeming waters, and hence towering forests. When I arrived the river had just begun to ebb; in a week or two there was sufficient sandy beach exposed for the Megacephale to come out, so | commenced my labours in that department: the first thing I found was M. curta, Reiche, very few; then one or two of a smaller species nearly allied to it; these both disappeared when the sandy beach was further ex- posed, and I began to take the very curious M. quadricollis, Laporte ; soon afterwards appeared M. Klugii, and, in company with it, M. bifasciata, Brullé, and M. laminata, Perty? I find that the Ega M. bifasciata is the true one, according to Westwood’s description, and the allied species common at Santarem is a distinct species, ‘perhaps M. cruciata, Brullé; examine them for yourself: you will find the Ega species, besides differing in size and colour, has a capital character in the sutural apices of the elytra, which are divergent and produced, whilst in the Santarem species they form simple right angles; this is a character Westwood has overlooked. I have made another observation very similar: there are two species confounded under M. laminata; the one I took at Santarem is larger, darker and much more pubescent and punctured on disk of thorax than the one I take here (Ega). Ido not expect to find any new Megacephale here ; but shortly I shall take a trip further up, and hope to find several.” XIV. N 5018 Natural-History Collectors. “ September 1.—After many delays the schooner, I hear, starts on. the 5th. We have had a long run of heavy, wet and squally weather ; the dry season is two months backward, and the Lepidoptera have not appeared so abundantly as they should have done. We have had a dull time of it; the steamer only comes once in three months, no sailing vessels have arrived, and we have no bread, hard or soft, or butter, or any European luxuries. I have gone on, however, quietly, as usual: up early, a walk, bath and breakfast; then out with my boxes, selecting the new species and stowing away duplicates, until 9.30 A.M., when the sun is out hot, and it is time to be off to the forest. I have scarcely missed a day, except Sundays, and never re- turn without bringing a species new to me; general average, four or five a-day new. Yesterday I got two new Lamellicorns (one Ano- mala, one Isonychus) and one extraordinary and large Necydalis, quite new. ‘To-day got another new Longicorn. A few days ago I got a most splendid new Prionide (z.e. new to science), being a Sterna- canthus, of which there was only one species known before. Of these things there scarcely ever turns up a second specimen, so that my private collection here abounds in beautiful unique specimens of new species. When you consider the great pleasure there is in this, and at the same time the liberty and independence of this kind of life,— the tolerable good living (turtle, fresh fish, game, fowls, &c.),—the suavity of the climate, &c., you will readily understand why I am dis- inclined to return to the slavery of English mercantile life. One great privation, however, I suffer and feel acutely—the want of frequent receipt of letters, books, newspapers and magazines. Since May last I have not received one line of letter or page of English literature!— _ the stirring news of war I get only through the miserable, brief notices in Brazilian newspapers. “Tam afraid I shall not be able to send you many species of Geodephaga; this country is known to be poor in that family; not one Carabus, and only half-a-dozen Cicindele. The English Geode- phaga make a better show than the Amazonian. We are tolerably rich in Brachinide, especially Casnonia, Agra, Lebia, Cordistes and Calleida, but none are common. There are here, at Ega, fifteen species, perhaps, of Agra; but I cannot get half-a-dozen specimens of any one. “‘ Ega is wonderfully rich in Erotyli: in the woods, after a shower, you meet with great fellows, some nearly an inch long, gay in vivid red, black and yellow colours; they become dull after death. I have now about sixty species of large fine EKrotyli and Triplax. Longicorns Nalural-History Collectors. 5019 also are of wonderful variety and beauty ; I must have near 500 species now in my private boxes. In Lamellicorns many fine species turn up, but they are scarce. Dynastes, almost as large as one’s fist (M. Actzon); some brilliant Phanei, &c.; Macraspis, Rutela, &c. Curculiones also are endless in variety. Of course most of my time is taken up by Diurnal Lepidoptera, as most European collections are yet deficient.in Ega species: in this department Ega is one of the finest districts in the world. I should like to get an enthusiastic Lepidopterist from England set down here for a morning’s ramble with me—just such a morning as to-day: the Callithea Batesii ap- peared for the first time. There is a path along the beach, skirting the banks of the Lake of Ega; the land above is high and covered with forest, and the beach is a grove of Araga trees: the limpid waters of the, broad lake break gently on the sands: the trees overhead are full of gaudy coloured birds; the horned screamer (the noisiest bird in the world) yells from the forest; lonely swallows (dark blue, with a ring of white across the breast) are flitting about; but all along the beach is a succession of the most beautiful butterflies in the world. This morning I saw more species than constitute the whole English Fauna in this department; but I saw only four species of Papilio— generally there are more: they are ten times more nimble than in colder climates; seeing them is not getting them nice and perfect in your collecting-box, so that my supposed companion would get, very shortly, a capital appetite for his turtle-soup and steaks before the mid-day sun warned him to desist and avoid too great exhaustion.” “September 14.—In accordance with Brazilian punctuality, the schooner has not sailed, but the owner now says he goes positively to-morrow. I have made some splendid captures since last date in Coleoptera: fine new species in all families; even a Dynastes, new to me, two inches long. Some very fine new Longicorns: two new species of the beautiful genus Gymnetis, which replaces here the Cetoniz of the old world. “The steamer will be here positively on the 19th, when I hope there will be letters from you. Believe this to leave me in good health, though, to tell you frankly, I am compelled to be more careful of my- self now than formerly, as my stomach is liable to get out of order, and my skin is assuming a decidedly yellow cast. : “HH. W. Bares.” 5020 | Linnean Society. PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. LINNEAN SOCIETY. January 15, 1856.—Tuomas Be xt, Esq., President, in the chair. Exhibitions. The Rev. C. A. Johns exhibited a drawing, together with a specimen of Spheria militaris, found by him in June last, growing from the interior of a pupa, among dead leaves, in Bickleigh Vale, Devonshire. Mr. Saunders observed that this fungus was well known, although not common: he found it last year near Stokesley, in Yorkshire, and made drawings, which he should be happy to exhibit. This species invariably grows on the pupe of Lepi- dopterous insects. A long and interesting discussion followed, in which Mr. Babington, Mr. West- wood and others took part. ['There is a second species of Spheria found in England growing on dead insects: Dickson was the first to notice it; he figures it on the larva of some carabideous insect, and describes it under the name of Peziza entomorhiza, giving the habitat in larvis insectorum emortuis.—Crypt. i. 22, tab. iii. fig. 3]. Mr. Saunders exhibited several vegetable productions, sent to him from Natal by Mr. R. W. Plant, together with a wax-like deposit, in spheroid lumps about as large as a marble, which had been gathered from a tree, and each of which contained the dermal envelope of a female Coccus. A discussion followed, as to the properties of the wax, in which Mr. Hanbury and others took part. Lepidosiren and Allied Genera unquestionably Fishes. Mr. Newman read a paper intituled ‘Notes on the Lepidosiren annectans,’ in which he advocated Professor Owen’s view, as to its ichthyic nature. He thought its affinity to the amphibious reptiles was very slight, and called attention to the fact that those metamorphotic reptiles with which it had been compared, were either in an immature and confessedly ichthyic condition, as the tadpole of the common frog; or the more mature Siren and Proteus, in which the larval condition appeared per- manent: he also invited attention to the teeth, and pointed out their similarity to those of Echiodon Drummondii; and to the continuity of the dorsal, anal and ventral fins, a decided character of the Murenide, and again to the scales and lateral line ; the scales were very perfect and precisely those of a fish ; and no scales whatever existed in any amphibian reptile: the lateral line was moreover not only exclusively confined to fishes, but particularly characteristic of that class of vertebrates. He con- sidered the most interesting character of the creature to be its skeleton, which Professor Owen had described as exactly intermediate between the osseous and carti- laginous types; and served to connect the Murenide among the former with the Petromyzontide among the latter. Rectification of Statements on the Economy of a Pelopeus. ‘ Mr. Newman read a critical notice of a paper lately printed in the ‘ Proceedings’ of the Society, in which he pointed out several palpable errors; a wasp of the | Linnean Society. 5021 genus Pelopzus was called the “ mason-bee ;” the female was described as the male ; and a small green parasitic Chrysis was described as the female: He thought it necessary for the credit of the Society that these mistakes should be pointed out by one of its own Fellows. Diptera of the Malay Peninsula. Mr. Saunders read some remarks prefatory to a ‘ Descriptive Catalogue of the Dipterous Insects, collected by Mr. Wallace in the Malay Peninsula, ii Mr. Walker;’ the MS. of which was laid on the table. Election of Fellows. Nathaniel H. Mason, Esq., J. R. Mummery, Esq. and R. J. Shuttleworth, Esq. were elected Fellows. February 5, 1856.—Tuomas BE x1, Esq., President, in the chair. Mr. Newman read the following Note on Atypus Sulzeri of Latreille. “TI beg to exhibit a specimen of the Atypus Sulzeri of Latreille, a spider not uncommon in some parts of France, and which is recorded by Dr. Leach, in the ‘Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica’ (4th Edition ; Art. Annulosa), to have occurred in the neighbourhood of Exeter and London. Dr. Leach’s statement ap- pears to have been received with some distrust, owing tu a supposed carelessness in his records of habitats, and, although many years have intervened, has never been con- firmed. It is, therefore, with peculiar pleasure that I am able to establish, beyond a doubt, the claim of the species to be regarded as British, and to make some additions to our knowledge of its most interesting economy. In the first place, however, it is necessary to state that for my knowledge of the name and published history of this spider, I am indebted entirely to Mr. Meade, of Bradford, whose courtesy in rendering assistance to any student of his favorite science of Arachnology is - familiar to all who have applied to him; and for the detail of its habits, as observed in the South of England during last summer, I have to thank Mr. Brown, of Ciren- cester, one of the most acute and skilful observers it has ever been my good fortune to meet with. Walckenaer, in his ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Insectes Aptéres,’ describes this spider nnder the name of Oletera Atypa, and thus records its economy: —‘ The female constructs, in rather moist places, a subterranean gallery, extending first in a horizontal direction, and then turning downwards; she spins in the interior of this gallery a very close white silken tube, which she strengthens with bits of grass and moss ; and at the bottom of this, she deposits her eggs in an oval-shaped mass, - enveloped in a web of white silk and fixed by threads at each end. She leaves part of the tube hanging out of the hole to protect the entrance: this external part is two or three inches long, and half an inch in diameter. The tissue of the tube is very close, fine and white, and resembles the cocvons in which some Lepidopterous pupe are enclosed. It is of uniform diameter, and terminates below in a slightly pointed 5022 Linnean Society. extremity: this extremity is attached to a bundie of silky hairs interlaced with fibres of plants, Thus the bottom of the tube is protected from the humidity of the earth.” —Walckenaer, op. cit. i. 244. ‘It appears that the male of this species is much more common in France than the female ; he is erratic in his habits, and hides under stones. I cannot find that he has ever been found in company with the female, or in a subterranean gallery; and I may add, as a collateral fact, that the males of our commonest spiders seem to differ considerably from the females in their mode of life; they are far less voracious, and — those of the geometricians rarely construct the well-known webs. I will now cite Mr. — Brown’s observations on Atypus, in his own words: —‘ When on a visit to Hastings during the past autumn, having to pass through a lane, with a high and steep sand- bank on each side partially eovered with grass and bushes, I noticed, on one of the banks which had a south aspect, something hanging down which looked like the cocoon of some moth ; but found, on compressing it slightly, that it was quite empty : it then occurred to me that it might be the nest of a spider; and, on examining it more closely, I found, to my surprise, that it descended into the bank, and appeared firmly attached at the distal extremity; so firmly indeed, that I could not extract the first I found without breaking it. My curiosity, however, was now thoroughly awakened, and on finding a second example, I went more cautiously to work, removed the sand carefully with a long knife, and at a depth of nine inches, I found the extre- mity of the structure and drew it out quite perfect. It was a long silken sac, and at the bottom was a hardish lump, which proved to be a spider. The next I tried went much deeper, indeed so deep that I failed, after much trouble, in getting it out at all. I tried many others, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing in my attempts to get them out entire. I found them vary greatly in length, and think they may be lengthened at various periods of the spider's growth: in some of the nests there © seemed very obvious indications of this lengthening: the usual length was about nine inches, but some were very much longer. Their form is tubular, commonly of a uni- form diameter of three quarters of an inch, and rounded at one end in the form of a purse: they are composed of very fine silk closely woven throughout, white or whitish — within, and covered exteriorly with yellowish or brownish particles of sand, which — give the tube a dirty appearance exteriorly, but inside they are always neat and — clean. The exterior portion of this tube visible on the bank is about two inches in length, pendant, and always inflated; it is of a darker colour than the sub- terranean portion of the tube, and agrees in this respect with the general surface of the bank. I took home one of these tubes in a collapsed state, or with the sides pressed together, and having the spider at the extremity : on opening the box I perceived a movement throughout the tube, as if it were undergoing the process of in- flation: this soon subsided: the next morning, however, I was surprised to see the tube inflated throughout its entire length, more especially at that end which had been exposed on the bank. How can the spider effect this? In some of the tubes it is very difficult to discover any external aperture; but, in that portion which is exposed and is distended more than the rest, I sometimes discovered one or more minute openings, protected or covered by a little valve or door: in some nests these openings — are not to be detected; when present, they open towards the bank. Although very loosely constructed at the lower extremity, I do not think there is an opening there, — except when the spider is deepening her burrow, or [ think, in some instances, the Linnean Society. 5023 spiders would have escaped through it when I extracted the sacs: this was never the case. “«¢ A circumstance in connexion with one of these nests may throw some light upon the kind of food on which these interesting creatures live, or at any rate, which they occasionally meet with: on drawing out one of the sacs I observed a worm at the lower end, partially within the sac and partially outside; and that the spider had evidently been eating a considerable portion of its anterior extremity. It is not unlikely that this kind of food may frequently fall to the lot of the spider, a ‘poor worm, in its mining progress, blindly thrusting its head into the spider's den! The spider, removed from her sac, is extremely slow, sluggish, lethargic, and apparently helpless ; several which I kept in a glass remained nearly motionless at the bot- tom; and one which I introduced into another glass along with another species (Epeiga diadema), was instantly attacked by the latter, and soon killed or rendered powerless, offering but little resistance, a result quite different to what I had expected from its formidable appearance. “< This spider, when full-grown, is about three-quarters of an inch in length, and of a brown colour; the forceps very strong, and furnished, along the keel, with twelve sharp triangular teeth or spines; the extremity is armed with a pointed curved claw, two and a half lines in length ; there are two four-jointed palpi, three lines in length : the two mandibles are furnished with small teeth, almost concealed by a fringe of strong hairs of a reddish colour: I am not certain whether the row of spines ~ is single or double: the first pair of legs is the longest, and they diminish in length to the last pair, which is shortest: there are four spinnerets; the longer ‘pair have three articulations, and are situated above the other pair: the eyes appear grouped together on the anterior part of the cephaiothorax, which projects in front, is shining, and destitute of hair: all the other parts of the spider are covered, but not thickly, with fine brown hairs ; these are most numerous on the abdomen. “‘¢ T have no doubt these spiders may be found scattered along the southern coast of England wherever the Hastings sand formation preduminates. I enclose a full-grown female ; one of the tubes entire; another broken off at one end; an example of the exposed portion or cocoon-like extremity cut off, and another of the same part cut open longitudinally.’ “ It may be added that Mr. Brown did not find a male, and wonders where they secrete themselves. “From a careful examination of the purse or exposed portion of the tube, it is evident that there is no aperture by which the spider can pass into the open air: having with a pair of scissors cut off the purse, I find it can be readily inflated by means of a glass pipe introduced at the cut end, but it does not appear air-tight: when thus inflated, the minute apertures are probably closed. I have been unable to find these apertures in the specimen on the table; but the experiment proves, in a satisfactory manner, that, if present, they must open inwardly, and thus would, of course, be closed by the pressure of air from within. Of their existence I have little doubt, and the fact of my not finding them I attribute solely to a want of sufficient skill in Manipulation and observation. The object of these valvular openings must be to admit air, for this could not enter the tube by any other means, and the spider, being a pulmonary breather, must require considerable supplies of oxygen. “ Returning to the subject of food, no one will doubt for a moment that a female spider, maturing her eggs for extrusion, is possessed of a good appetite, and has every 5024 Linnean Society. disposition to indulge it: any theory in contravention of this idea is opposed to all that we know of the natural history of spiders. I would then observe, first, that she has no access to the outer air, the exposed surface where insects, the ordinary food of . spiders, are to be found ; secondly, that the web is not glutinous; and thirdly, that I eannot find a fragment of an insect in any part of either of the tubes, and it seems to me that such fragments must occur if insects were the food of the spider. ‘** Not contented with my own search for the remains of insects, I wrote again to Mr. Brown, stating the result, and begging him to investigate further, which he has done, and replies thus: —‘ I have never seen any flies or fragments of flies attached to any part of web; the only thing I can find is a portion of the cast-off skin of the spider herself, and this is in the cocvon or exposed end of the nest: in one of these there is a considerable quantity of their exuvie. With respect to flies or any other insects getting entangled in the web, I do not think it possible, first, because it is not glutinous or adhesive ; and secondly, because it is always covered with grains of sand, which, supposing it had been glutinous originally, effectually prevent the adhesion of any extraneous object.’ In answer to my pointed inquiry, whether the spider ever comes out of the tube, Mr. Brown writes :—‘ I will not say that the spider never comes out of the nest, or is incapable of opening the extremity for that purpose, but I have never seen one do so, and I have no evidence that such is the case: the spiders in five tubes, which I extracted entire and kept at my lodgings, passed backwards and for- wards, but never came out at either end: the longest of these perfect sacs was eleven inches in length.’ I therefore concluded, from the absence of fragments, that the spider does not feed on insects; and, from the structure of her domicile, that she has no means of obtaining them. Combining this negative evidence with the positive fact, that the spider is strictly subterranean, living in places where worms abound, burrowing to an unknown depth, occurring always in damp situations, and, to crown all, having before us the statement of a most careful and eminently cautious observer, that in one instance he found the spider had eaten a portion of a worm, we may, I think, congratulate Mr. Brown, not only on having restored a most interesting species to the British Fauna, but also on having discovered a singular aberration from the normal economy of the world of spiders. Nevertheless, on communicating this view of the case to Mr. Meade, that eminent arachnologist, with laudable caution, ex- presses himself thus: —‘I cannot help thinking that it was only a fortuitous cireum- stance that an earthworm was found in the retreat of the Atypus, though it is quite possible the spider might feed on the worm when it came in its way: many spiders are so voracious, as even to devour one another. My reasons for giving this opinion are, first, that a worm could not readily penetrate through the firm silken walls of the tube, and the one in question may have been met with while the spider was making the excavation: secondly, the Atypus, in common with other mining spiders, and with all those spiders called by Walckenaeér, Incluses, shuts itself up in its cell or tube by day, and wanders about in search of prey at night. It never appears to convey any food to its nest: the young when hatched are carried about on the body of the mother, just in the same way as the young of the Lycose. I think it most probable | that the Atypus closes up with fresh silk every day the aperture through which it enters the sac, and that it makes a fresh hole through which to issue at night. The trap-doors and other contrivances constructed by exotic spiders, answer the purpose of keeping out enemies, in the same, way as the external portion of the sac of the Atypus; and I believe that all these spiders are erratic in their habits, and none of Linnean Society. 5025 them bring home prey to their retreats” Mr. Meade thus disposes of the facts, on which I felt inclined to lay great stress, the non-glutinosity of the web and the absence of the remains of insects in the sac. Mr. Brown, the discoverer, on the other hand, inclines to believe that worms are the normal food of these spiders, and sup- ports his view by pointing out the depth to which some of the individuals burrow, which is far greater than required for safety ; and also by the structure of the mouth, widely different from that of ordinary spiders, and expressly adapted for the masti- cation of flies: he thinks also that a worm once captured would not necessarily be | killed by the spider, but might be devoured piecemeal while still living, an operation "that seemed actually in progress in the isolated instance which he had an opportunity | of observing: he has re-examined the sac, in reference to Mr. Meade’s explanation of a nocturnal breach in the texture mended every morning, but he finds no evidence of | such breaches. In reference to the difficulty urged by Mr. Meade, which a worm _would find in passing through the wall of the sac, it seems more probable that the spi- der would obtain the worm at the lower extremity of the sac, where her excavations appear to be continually going on. The question of food must therefore remain sub _judice, and other points in the history of this most interesting spider seem to invite further investigation.” The President, after alluding to previous discussions which had taken place at the Society, on the habits of the water-spider (Argyroneta aquatica), observed that he had repeatedly seen that species feeding on worms, but had observed that the spiders ‘seemed rather to suck the juices of the worm than to masticate its flesh. Mr. Westwood agreed in the explanation given by Mr. Meade of the fact ob- served by Mr. Brown. Election of Fellows. Henry Christy, Esq. and Alexander Goodman More, Esq., were elected Fellows of of the Society February 19, 1856.—Rosertr Brown, Esq., Vice-President, in the chair. Analysis of the Galls of Cynips Lignicola. Dr. Vinen read a paper on the amount of tannin existing in the galls of the Cynips Lignicola of Hartig : he was induced to undertake the analysis by an account _ lately published in the ‘ Gardener's Chronicle, which stated that a new gall had appeared in such abundance in Devonshire as to threaten the destruction of the oak. He found that the Devonshire galls contained but 17 per cent. of tannin, while the Aleppo gall, the well-known ink gall of commerce, contained 56 per cent.; the dis- | crepancy was very great, and possibly in some degree attributable to the fact, that | whereas all the Aleppo galls were entire, those from Devonshire were all perforated by the Cynips: it was a well-known fact that a sample of the galls of commerce was | depreciated in value by the presence of any that were perforated. Dr. Vinen, however, wished to call the attention of the Society to the extraordinary discrepancy existing between the published analyses of the Aleppo galls, greater even than that | XIV. O 5026 Entomological Society. e .. between his own analyses of the Devonshire and Aleppo galls. Sir Humphrey — Davy’s analysis yielded 26 per cent. of tannin, Pelour’s 40, Leconnet’s 60, Guibourt’s — 65, Mohr’s 72, and Buchner’s 77. New Insects from Western Africa. Mr. Westwood read a description of a new Paussus, which he named P. Murrayi, — from New Calabar, on the Western Coast of Africa; and exhihited a new insect, allied to Cistela, with curiously dilated and winged metatibie, from the same locality. Election of Fellows. Albert Hambrough, Esq., and the Rev. Charles Popham Miles, M.A., were elected | Fellows of the Society. : ¢ ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. January 7, 1856.—J. O. Westwoop, Esq., V.-P., in the chair. Donations. The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be given to the | donors : —‘ Transactions of the Linnean Society,’ Vol. xxi. Part 4. ‘ Proceedings of ’ the Linnean Society,’ Nos. 59, 59,* 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66. Address of Thomas ) Bell, Esy., V.P.R.S., &c., the President ; together with obituary notices of deceased | Members, by John Bennett, Esq., F.R.S., the Secretary, read at the Anniversary | Meeting of the Linnean Society on Thursday, May 24,1855. ‘ List of the Linnean) Society of London, 1855;’ presented by the Linnean Society. ‘The Natural-His-- tory Review, Vol. i..-and Parts 5,6, 7 and 8; by the Dublin University Association. . ‘The Entomologist’s Annual for 1856;’ by the Editor, H. T. Stainton, Esq. ‘ List! of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, , by Francis Walker, Esq., F.L.S., Part 5, Lepidoptera Heterocera;’ by the Editor. , ‘The Literary Gazette’ for December; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for Decem-- ber; by the Editor. ‘The Zoologist’ for December; by the Editor. ‘Journal of ther Society of Arts’ for December; by the Society of Arts. | Election of Members. William Marshall, Esq, Springfield, Upper Clapton ; John Thomas Syme, Esq. " 11, Gower Street, Bedford Square; and James Thomson, Esq., 23, Rue de PUniver= sité, Paris, were balloted for and elected Members of the Society. A Exhibitions. ; Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a box containing three fine species of Lucanida,’ taken by Mr. Wallace at Sarawak, in Borneo, including a remarkable variety of Ly Brookiana. id Mr. Edward Sheppard exhibited a specimen of Lebia crux-minor, taken by sweeping the long lythe at Selborne, in August last, by the Rev. G. Livesay. Entomological Scciety. 5027 Mr. Westwood called attention to some glasses on the table, containing water- beetles collected for the purpose of stocking aquariums, by Mr. F. S. Leach. Mr. J. A. Turner exhibited a box of Coleoptera from Texas, containing many fine specimens of Longicorns ; he also exhibited a splendid pair of Goliathus giganteus, from the Gaboon River, West Africa. Mr. Stainton exhibited a specimen of Callimorpha Hera, and read a letter on the subject, addressed to him by Mr. Cooke, of Pelham Terrace, Brighton. Mr. Newman communicated the following :— Characters of Three Pseudomorphina in the Cabinet of Mr. Waterhouse. “ Mr. Waterhouse having most obligingly lent me his collection of Pseudomorphina, I have given the specimens a somewhat careful examination, and find three species _ which I suppose to be undescribed. I take the liberty of offering to the Society brief descriptions of these, and at the same time of soliciting the opportunity of examining other collections of these interesting insects. * | “ PSEUDOMORPHA AMAROIDES, Newman. “ Levis, glabra ; antennis, sterno, ventre, pedibusque piceis ; capite nigro, labro fer- rugineo ; prothoracis et elytrorum disco nigro, marginibus arcte at manifesto ferrugineis. (Corp. long. °3 une. elytrorum lat °15 unc.) “ Smooth, shining, black above, pitchy black beneath; antenne pitchy black; head smooth, with two obscure fovee on the epicranium between the eyes, black, the labrum | and mandibles bright ferruginous, the latter with the apices pitchy black; prothorax black, its lateral margins slightly dilated and recurved, and brightly ferruginous ; near | its posterior margin are two shallow ill-defined fovee ; the scutellum is conspicuous, _ triangular, acute and extremely glabrous; elytra black, their costal margin continuous ‘with the lateral margins of the prothorax, and like them slightly dilated and recurved, and brightly ferruginous ; at the base of each, very near the scutellum, is an obscure fovea ; the posterior margin is sinuate, truncate, and tinged with dusky ferruginous, “the marginal ferruginous line of prothorax and elytra is very narrow, but extremely well defined ; the entire upper surface of head, prothorax and elytra is covered with very minute confluent punctures ; these are only discernable under a lens of high power, and scarcely detract from the general glabrous appearance of the insect. “ There is a single specimen, the only one I have seen, in Mr. Waterhouse’s cabi- net. Its habitat is 3753. “ Although the genus Amara is now banished from our catalogues, the mind of the British Coleopterist, clinging fondly to the word, will see the drift of my specific name, should he ever meet with this pretty antipodean. Its size and figure at once call to mind the most familiar species of that most familiar genus. “ ADELOTOPUS EPHIPPIATUS, Newman. “ Levis, nitida, picea, elytrorum pagind basali late testacea, prothoracis latera pal- lidiora valde dilatata et reflexa ; prothorax elytris latior. (Corp. long. ‘2 unc. elytrorum lat. ‘075 unc.) _ “Smooth, shining, pitchy black; the sides of the thorax and the entire under sur- face of the insect inclining to ferruginous; the elytra at their base adorned with a | . 5028 Entomological Society. somewhat saddle-shaped testaceous mark; head, prothorax and elytra minutely and — regularly punctured ; head prone, deeply immersed in the prothorax; labrum rounded and much produced, cheeks enormously developed; prothorax much broader than long, slightly broader than elytra, its anterior margin excavated to receive the head, and produced into an obtuse teeth on each side of it, its lateral margins much dilated and recurved ; scutellum very minute; sides of elytra parallel, slightly recurved, apeq . truncate, the corners rounded. | “ Examples of this insect, which, when its mouth is examined, will probably form a new genus, are in the cabinet of the British Museum, as well as in that of Mr. Waterhouse. : — —— ‘“‘ ADELOTOPUS RUBIGINOSUS, Newman. { —_—) “ Levis, nitidissimus, rubiginosus, omnino concolor, elytra sub lente forti subtilissime puncta. (Corp. long. ‘175 une. elytrorum lat. -07 unc.) ’ “Smooth, extremely shining, ferruginous and perfectly concolorous on every part — of the upper and under surface; head rather large, convex, prone; eyes large, distant, black, prominent; prothorax very convex, very glabrous, its lateral margins slightly ) dilated and recurved; scutellum rather large, conspicuous, triangular; elytra very — convex, parallel, the coste slightly dilated and recurved, the apex truncate, the disk exhibiting a very slight appearance of striation. “This pretty little beetle certainly resembles Mr. Westwood’s Adelotopus apho- dioides, described at p. 404 of the fifth volume of the new series of Guérin’s ‘ Revue et Magasin de Zoologie.’ There are specimens in the cabinet of the British Museum, as well as in that of Mr. Waterhouse.” \ Nests of Hymenoptera from Port Natal. Mr. Smith exhibited some nests of Hymenopterous insects collected by Herr Guenzius at Port Natal, and read the following notes respecting them :— | “T have the pleasure of exhibiting to the Society a number of nests of exotic Hy- - menoptera, collected by Herr Guenzius at Port Natal. This collection is rendered exceedingly interesting, by each nest having specimens of the insects by which it was constructed sent with it; it also receives additional interest from the fact of all the species being described ones. I have thought it desirable to give a reference to the work in which each species is described, as well as a description of the nests themselves, _ “1, Synagris calida, Vespa calida, Linn. Syst. Nat. Vol. i. p. 952. The nest of © this insect is constructed of the red earth common to the neighbourhood of Port Natal; , the form at the base is an irregular oval; its length at its greatest diameter is nearly three inches; the height of the nest is an inch and a half, its general form being | somewhat that of half an orange, having one side slightly elevated, forming the’ entrance to the nest; the bottom of the nest shows that it has been attached to a flat ‘ surface; only four cells are visible, all of which are empty ; in two of these were found | the remains of the corneous heads of some Lepidopterous larve; the upper surface has »§ a hole opposite each of the empty cells, one being immediately under the larger’ opening or entrance used by the parent insect: the other holes are a little smaller: from these no doubt the insects made their escape: there is room for two more cells, and such may possibly exist, but neither the under nor upper surface exhibit any) traces of them. Entomological Society. 5029 “9. Nest of Synagris mirabilis, Guér. Voy. en Abyss, de Le Févre, vi. Ins. p- 359, pl. 8, fig. 8. This nest is much smaller than that of S. calida, and is probably in an unfinished state; its form is somewhat quadrate, with the angles rounded ; it contains only two cells, each having, as in the other species, a separate outlet. This nest is constructed of a different-coloured earth, being of the ordinary mud-colour. It is exceedingly interesting to find that the habits of this genus of wasps is similar to that of Odynerus. I have in my possession a nest of O. parietinus formed of earth in a similar manner. “3. The nest of Eumenes tinctor, Christ. Hym.. This is a very abundant and well-known species. The nest differs from that of every species of this genus with which I am acquainted: all the nests which I have seen are globular, or sometimes flask-shaped, each consisting of a single cell. The only British species, Eumenes coarctata, constructs a small nearly globular nest of mud, forming a single cell; it constructs a separate nest for each individual: these nests [ have found in Hampshire, attached to twigs of heath. The nest, however, of Eumenes tinctor is very different ; it is pear-shaped and constructed of mud, being three inches and a half long and nine inches in diameter at its widest part, but is considerably narrower at the top and obtuse at the bottom. This vest appears to have been constructed amongst rank grass or reeds, having blades passing through it; by these means it was doubtless held in a suspended position: there are twelve outlets, showing that a number of individuals have issued from it. “4. Raphigaster Guineensis, Sauss. This is the Zethus Guineensis of Fabricius, Syst. Piez, 283,2. The nest of this species consists of a number of exposed cells attached to each other, a slender twig forming the base of attachment; the cells are about an inch in length, and of a very thin papery texture ; the number in the nest exhibited is seventeen ; there are eight unfinished cells: what may be an average number in finished nests has not been ascertained, but either it must be considerable, , or the number of nests very great, as the insect is extremely abundant. “*5. Mischocyttarus labiatus, Sauss. Zethus labiatus of Fabricius, Syst. Piez. 284, 6. This nest is very similar to the preceding in form and mode of attachment; it is placed upon a slender twig; the texture is, however, very different, being appareutly constructed of decayed wood: it is very fragile, and breaks with a slight touch, simi- lar to the cells of Vespa vulgaris: the cells are of a circular form. “6, Icaria guttatipennis, Sauss. This wasp is described in Mon, des Guépes So- ciales, p. 40, 19, pl. 5, fig. 8. Its cells are exposed in the same manner as those of a Polistes, and are hexagonal. This nest is of the greatest interest, as exhibiting a direct contradiction to the theory that all cells are originally constructed of a cylindri- - cal form, and that the hexagonal form is attributable to the fact of the insects work- ing in concert in opposite cells, the space between the cells gradually falling into straight sides, thus forming regular hexagons; consequently the outer surface of the exterior cells will be rounded. The nest of this insect exhibits a Series of regular hex- ~ agons, the outer cells being as sharply angulated as the inner ones. “7, EKumenes This is asmall mud nest, of globular form, about the size of a cherry, adapted to contain a single larva; it is attached to the back of a leaf. “8. Odynerus This wasp constructs a nest in hollow reeds, lining and separating the cells with red sandy loam, in the same manner as the Odynerus levi- pes of Britain. 5030 Entomological Society. “9, Pelopeus chalybeus, Smith, Cat. Foss. Hym. Part 2. The nest of this insect is especially interesting. The species of the genus Pelopeus are popularly known as mud-daubers in America. They differ in the mode of constructing their nests ; some species appear to place single cells in different situations; others construct a number close together, and even one cell upon another. P. chalybeus differs from all the spe- cies whose habits have been recorded ; it constructs single cells of cow-dung, attach- ing them to stems of grass. From one of the nests I extracted a perfect specimen uf the insect. | “10. Chalicodoma celocera. This is the Megachile celocera of my ‘ Catalogue of Apide,’ published by the British Museum. The genus Chalicodoma of St. Far- geau cannot be maintained upon structural differences: the habit of the species alone entitles it to the rank of a subgenus. These insects construct nests of clay or sandy loam, attaching them usually to walls; a number of cells are formed, and when the whole are furnished with the requisite supply of pollen and honey the cells are closed, and the whole then covered over with a mass of sandy loam. The nest of C. celo- cera, which I exhibit to the Society, is of an elongate form, being seven inches in length, two and a half in width, and one and a half in elevation at its greatest con- vexity ; there are seven outlets, from which the bees have escaped; probably there are others which have perished in the cells. The mixture of red earth and small pebbles, of which the nest is composed, is excessively hard, and it must be a task of great labour to the bee before it can perforate so hard a substance; both sexes are therefore furnished with short, exceedingly stout, toothed mandibles for that purpose. “11. This is the nest of a species of Ceratina, formed in the stem of a shrub which has a large pith in the middle, similar to the common elder of Europe. The channel formed by the bee is three inches in length, exactly similar to that formed by Cera- tina cerulea. “12, Nest of a small species of Anthidium,—A. cordatum, Smith. This nest is interesting, as showing a reverse of the habit of the British species of the genus, A. manicatum, which usually selects ready-formed holes in posts or rails; its nests have also been found in the locks of out-houses, &c., always, I believe, in some ready- formed place of security ; A. cordatum, on the contrary, attaches its cells to the stems of plants; that which I exhibit consists of two; these are formed apparently of a resinous substance, which melts when heated ; outside, the cells are covered with the woolly down of plants. “13. This is a portion of a dead branch, probably having formed part of some railing or fence, into which Xylocopa trepida has burrowed, the entrance being large enough to admit of the little finger; the diameter of the tube inside is exactly three- fourths of an inch.” Mr. Lubbock read a paper intituled ‘On some Entomostraca collected by Dr. Sutherland in the Atlantic Ocean.’ Mr. Westwood read a paper on Cryptodus from New Holland. Mr. Stainton read a paper on three Indian species of Micro-Lepidoptera bred by Mr. Atkinson. Mr. Janson communicated some notes on Hygrotus bisulcatus, Curt., and Apion Curtisii, Kirby, MSS., of which insects drawings were exhibited at the December meeting, contending, on the authority of Dr. Erichson and subsequent writers, that Entomological Society. 5031 the first-named species is the Hydroporus unistriatus, I/lig.; and that, as the late Mr. Stephens had applied the name of Curtisii to a totally different species of Apion, prior to the publication of Mr. Curtis's description of the Curtisii, Kirby, MSS., it is evi- dent that a new name must be imposed on Mr. Curtis's insect. Anniversary Meeting, January 28, 1856.— Epwarp Newman, Esq., F.LS., in the chair. The Reports of the Library and Cabinet Committee and the Treasurer’s au- ‘dited accounts were read and approved: the latter showed a balance in hand of £74 19s. 52d. Messrs. J. S. Baly, F. P. Pascoe, W. W. Saunders, and G. R. Waterhouse were elected members of the Council, in the room of Messrs. E. Newman, A. F. Shep- pard, Edward Sheppard, and S. L. Waring. W. Wilson Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., &c., was elected President; S. Stevens, Esq., F.L.S., Treasurer; and Messrs. J. W. Doug- las and Edwin Shepherd, Secretaries. The Chairman delivered an Address on the State and Management of the Society, giving also a summary of its proceedings during the year, and an analytical notice of all Entomological Books and Papers published in Great Britain during the same period. The Meeting passed a vote of thanks for this Address, and ordered it to be printed. A vote of thanks was passed to J. Curtis, Esq., for his services to the Society and his courteous conduct in the Chair; and on the motion of Mr. Westwood, it was resolved that a portrait of Mr. Curtis should be procured and hung up in the Meeting- room. Votes of thanks were then passed to the Treasurer and Secretaries.—J. W. D. February 4, 1856.—W. W. SaunveErs, Esq., President, in the chair. Donations. es The following donations were announced, and thanks ordered to be presented to "the respective donors: —‘ Exotic Butterflies, Part 17; by W. W. Saunders, Esq. _ * Revue et Magasin de Zoologie, 1855, Nos. 10 and 11; by the Editor, M. Guerin- -Méneville. ‘ Proceedings of the Royal Society,’ Vol. vii. No. 16; by the Society. ‘Entomologische Zeitung’ for December, 1855; ‘ Entomologische Zeitung, Sechs- zehnter Jahrgang’ (1855); ‘ Linnea Entomologica, Vol. x.; by the Entomological Society of Stettin. ‘ List of the Specimens of Lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum. Part vi.— Lepidoptera Heterocera’; by the Author, F. Walker, Esq., F.L.S. ‘The Journal of the Society of Arts’ for January; by the Editor. ‘The Literary Gazette’ for January; by the Editor. ‘The Atheneum’ for January; by the Editor. ‘The Zoologist’ for February ; by the Editor. ‘ Memo- rias de la Real Academia de Ciencias de Madrid, Tomo ii. la Serie; ‘ Ciencias Exactas,’ Tomo i. Parte la.; The same, Tomo i. 3 Serie; ‘ Ciencias Naturales,’ Tomo i. Parte 3; ‘Resumen de las Actas de la Academia Real de Ciencias de Madrid 5032 Entomological Society. 1852 a 1852; The same, 1852 a 1853; by the Royal Academy of Sciences of Madrid. ‘Swammerdam’s Historia Insectorum Generalis, 4to; by John Curtis, Esq. The President returned thanks for his election, and nominated as Vice-Presidents for the year, Messrs. J. O. Westwood, G. R. Waterhouse, and Frederick Smith. Election of Members. A. H. Haliday, Esq., 23, Harcourt Street, Dublin, was balloted for and elected a Member of the Society. Exhibitions. Mr. Samuel Stevens exhibited a splendid new Lamellicorn beetle, of the genus ~ Odontolabris, from Borneo. Mr. Moore exhibited a number of cocoons of Megachile lanata, found in an old buffalo’s horn from Northern India; one of these contained an immature parasite, probably a Hedycrum. Mr. Baly exhibited a specimen of the rare Cryptonychus porrectus, Gyll., received from Old Calabar by Mr. Murray, being the only specimen known in Britain; this species is extremely interesting, from the fact of being an American form, though found in Africa. Read the following note by Mr. Hewitson, dated the 28th of January :— Sound produced by the Peacock Butterfly. “ One morving about a fortnight ago, whilst dressing, I noticed something upon the floor, which I took to be a dead leaf driven in by the wind, and was surprised when I picked it up and placed it on the table, to find that it was a peacock butterfly (Vanessa Io). They had been cleaning out my room and had driven it from its winter quarters ; I had handled it rather roughly, which it resented, by spreading out its wings horizontally to their fullest extent and rubbing them rapidly together; it produced a distinct sound like the friction of sand-paper: this it continued to repeat for some time and seemed greatly exasperated. It might be partly in my own imagination, but its palpi, the position of its legs, every motion seemed to express passion. I brought it down stairs and placed it on a table in the drawing-room, where Mr. Westwood, who was with me at the time, heard the noise faintly, but we tried in vain to excite it again to anger. “T intended to examine the base of the wings and try to ascertain the means by which it produced the noise, which has never yet been done with the living insect, but it stole away and hid itself so effectually as to elude our search. “M. Lacordaire mentions a similar sound produced by butterflies of the genus — Ageronia, whilst on the wing, which he compares ‘a celui d’un parchemin trés sec © qu'un froisserait entre les mains.’ “ The clicking noise mentioned by Mr. Darwin was produced by a butterfly of the — | same genus. Mr. Douglas observed that the Rev. Joseph Greene had noticed a very similar cir- cumstance in hybernating specimens of the same species, Vanessa Io, of which he communicated a note to this Society, and which is published in the ‘ Proceedings’ for 1853, page 98. zx = Entomological Society. 5033 & Mr. Baly thought the sound was produced by respiratory action, which, doubtless, is suspended during hybernation, and suddenly called into action on the insect being disturbed ; he considered it might be analogous to that produced by the first inspi- rations of air by a newly born infant. | Mr. Newman read the two following notes :— The Lost Spider. “¢ The Rev. Revett Sheppard has often noticed in the fen ditches of Norfolk a very large spider, which actually forms a raft for the purpose of obtaining its prey with more facility. Keeping its station upon a ball of weeds about three inches in | diameter, probably held together by slight silken cords, it is wafted along the surface of the water upon this floating island, which it quits the moment it sees a drowning insect; not, as you may suppose, for the sake of applying to it the process of the Humane Society, but of hastening its exit by a more speedy engine of destruction. The booty thus seized, it devours at leisure upon its raft, under which it retires when alarmed by any danger.’ — Introduction to Entomology, i. 428, Edition of 1828. ‘There is good ground for giving implicit credence to the foregoing statement; ‘Mn. Sheppard was an acute entomologist, a careful observer, and a gentleman of “unquestionable veracity. It is therefore remarkable that this large spider should, even /at the present hour, remain unknown to arachnologists. I shall be greatly obliged to any Norfolk entomologist who will seek it, and, if ety age send me specimens, together with any additional notes on its interesting economy.” ies | The Silk Spider of St. Helena. _ “¢The silk spider of St. Helena is very handsomely marked and banded: it spreads ‘its web i in the warm valleys, and the fibres of its cocoon are so strung as readily to admit of being spun: indeed, they might be used as a substitute for silk.’ — Foster’s | Voyage, i. 373. There is scarcely a statement in the volumes where this is extracted aye has been verified by subsequent writers. Can any entomologist give further par- ticulars of this silk spider ?” _ Mr. Newman read a paper entitled ‘ Characters of apparently undescribed Austra- lian insects, collected at Moreton Bay by J. Gibbon, Esq., including the following species of various orders,—Dorcostoma Jansoni, Alaus Gibboni, Stenoderus quietus, |Euploea Lycrophon, Pangonia Walkeri and Dasypogon Grantii.’ _ Mr. Stainton read a paper entitled ‘ How may the onward progress of the Study of _ be best furthered ?’ Part 7, Vol. iii., N. s., of the Society’s ‘ Transactions, recently published, was on 5034 Letters on Natural History. Letters on Natural History. By the late FREDERICK HoLME, Esq., | to EpwARD HEARLE Ropp, Esq., by whom they are obligingly © communicated. [These letters, although having no bearing on what may be called the Zoological — news of the day, are replete with those records and observations which give to White’s — ‘Selborne’ its enduring interest—H. Newman. ] “ Meysey Hampton Rectory, Fairford, Gloucestershire. “ DEAR Srr,—I am afraid you will think me extremely tardy in fulfilling the promise I made, of writing to you on the ornithological — points we have discussed, but I have since my return home been | without my books on the subject, which I had lent during my absence, — and have received only within a few days. I will begin with one point on which I remember you wished for information,—the distinc-_ tion of the Scolopax Sabini: it may be known, according to Sir W. Jardine and Mr. Selby, by having twelve feathers only in the tail, whereas the common snipe has fourteen, and the great or double snipe _ sixteen: the jack snipe has twelve, but it can never be confounded — with S. Sabini. Lesson, in his ‘Manuel d’Ornithologie, mentions a. new species of snipe, which he calls Scolopax Brehmii, and which he » says resembles the common snipe in everything except in having | sixteen feathers in the tail, instead of fourteen, and in being altogether mute: I think it is probably a factitious species, but I mention it in) case of your chancing to fall in with any such bird. As far as L_ could ascertain, while in Ireland, the birds wanting in the Irish Fauna seem nearly the same as those which you told me were rare in Corn-. wall: the nuthatch, in particular, is almost unknown, a pair in the » Kildare-street Museum having been pointed out to me as almost the: only instances of its occurrence in Ireland ; the redstart is also very / rare. The common hawk of those parts I saw most of (Kilkenny,, Kildare and Queen’s County) is the sparrow hawk, which abounds: greatly, and seems to live in families; the kestrel is not so common. The bank martin seems more generally diffused than in England. I saw all the four British species of swallow in company on the river} Nore, below Kilkenny. Speaking of swallows, the great white- bellied: swift (Cypselus alpinus) has been shot three or four times in Ireland. within a few years, and once in England, at Attleborough, in Norfolk, in September, 1831; I think, but am not sure, that a second instance Letters on Natural History. 5035 has occurred near Romford, in Essex. I have heard it suspected by many good ornithologists that the barn swallow of America (Hirundo rufa, Linn., H. Americana, Wilson) is by no means uncommon in England, but confounded with the common chimney swallow (H. rus- _tica), from which it differs chiefly in having the under parts from chin to vent light chestnut instead of white. I have shot myself, at different times, six or seven specimens so coloured, including all ages and both sexes, and have seen others in bird-stuffers’ shops: the | under parts in these were light chestnut, inclining to buff: Wilson, in the ‘American Ornithology, says the female has them rufous-white, and also that the bird does not build in chimneys like H. rustica, but | in barns and outhouses. I intend to keep a look-out for the bird next summer, and if you do the same we can compare the result of our observations. I intend to mention the point to Mr. Gould, to draw | his attention to it. | _ “Since writing the last page, I have found the memorandum of the second English occurrence of Cypselus alpinus, which was at Kings- gate, near Margate. Another bird to which I wonld draw your atten- tion is the firecrested wren (Trochilus ignicapillus, Temminck), a single specimen of which is in the possession of Mr. Jenyns, of ‘Swaffham-Bulbeck, Norfolk, it having been brought into his house by acat: it has probably been overlooked, from its close resemblance to ‘the common goldcrested wren, from which it differs in having the ‘black band on each side the crest bounded first by a white stripe, and that again by a second black band through the eye; whence Tem- | minck gives it the French title of ‘roitelet a triple bandeau.’ The jaretic gull, properly so called (Lestris parasiticus) is not found in |England, and scarcely ever so far South as the Shetlands: the bird ‘which has hitherto passed under that name with British naturalists, jand of which the blacktoed is the young, is now distinguished as L. 'Richardsonii, and differs greatly, in shape, size and colour, from the jtrue L. parasiticus. Are you aware that the grebes moult all at once, \like the duck tribes? A dabchick (Podiceps minutus) which I shot jin the change from summer plumage, September 23rd, had only young quills in the wings, so as to be unable to fly, and when we skinned it was so pen-feathered that it could scarcely be made a skin of. Two ‘specimens of the Caspian tern, I am told by a correspondent, were shot in 1830, near Yarmouth, but whether the Yarmouth in Norfolk or that in the Isle of Wight my informant sayeth not. A single specimen of the real great white heron (A. equinoctialis), a bird as large as or larger than the common heron, was shot at Hornsea Mere, East Riding | 5036 Letters on Natural Tistory. of Yorkshire, in the winter of 1821, after haunting the neighbourhood some time: it is now in the collection of Mr. A. Strickland (the brother of the Yorkshire M.P.) who gave me the account: it is the only authenticated British specimen. The same gentleman has a . specimen of the black stork, shot last spring in Lincolnshire. “T make no apology for giving you all these isolated instances, as” I know you are as fond as myself of going into the detail of natural history. “Will you tell Mr. Dennis John that the very large water beetle which he may perhaps remember giving me proved to be the Cybister Réselii, an insect of which 1 believe there is only a single authenti- — cated British specimen, besides the one he gave me; and as he told © me that he had several times seen them in the ditches of the Marazion © marshes, he would confer a great benefit on Science by securing them wherever he meets with them, taking great care to keep the legs, an- — tenn, &c., entirely uninjured. I took several very good insects in ~ Treland ; but the collection I made in the neighbourhood of Penzance, which I sent to an excellent entomologist for the purpose of having © the insects named, turned out to contain nine entirely new species of Coleoptera, besides four others new to Britain, and a great many very © h rare ones: one of the Carabideous beetles will form a new genus; and — a beautiful Cassida, which I took in the hedge behind Trenear, is an — entirely new insect. If you see Mr. Henry Hocken, of Phillack, will account of any observations or rare species in Entomology that ma ‘| at any time fall under his eye in Cornwall, as I and several other lovers of Entomology are endeavouring to establish a sort of entomo-_ logical correspondence in different parts of the country, for the pur- | pose of interchanging our remarks, and, where practicable, our specimens. I have just finished arranging afresh all my Coleoptera, of which I have more than 600 British species. “ Any remarks, on any subject in Zoology which you may be dis posed to favour me with I shall be very glad to receive, if you hava ) any inclination to correspond on the subject. “ Believe me very truly yours, “ F. HOLME.” “ Meysey Hampton, Fairford, Gloucestershire, “ January 11, 1834. “ Dear Sir,—I intend to make this letter a long one, but I am afraid that I shall repeat several of the detached scraps which I gave Letters on Natural History. 5037 you in my last, as I neglected to keep a list of contents of the letter, a plan which I recommend to you in a scientific correspondence, as it obviates the risk of saying the same thing over and over again in successive letters, which you are otherwise likely to do when you communicate detached facts; and of detached facts every useful body of science must consist, in my opinion, though too many modern naturalists, and particularly ornithologists, seem to frame their systems in the first place, and to look out for the facts to support them after- wards. I am afraid I led you into an error in my last, in quoting Selby on the Scolopax Sabini; I do not know whether his Treatise on the Water Birds is yet published or not; I quoted from some Illustrations of Ornithology, chiefly of foreign birds, published in conjunction some years since by Sir W. Jardine and Mr. Selby. With respect to the small woodcock you mention as shot at Trebartha, a very small variety is said by Lesson and by Storr to occur occasion- ally of the common species; and the American woodcock (Scolopax minor), which is said to occur sometimes in Europe, answers in size and weight to the specimen you mention, but has the nape barred as _ jn the common one, not marbled as in yours: the American woodcock is further distinguished by having all the under parts uniform tawny, rather bright. Scolopax Sabini is easily known, even in a glass case, from any of the woodcocks, by the legs being bare above the knee, which in the woodcocks are feathered to the joint; S. Sabini has in _ other respects much of the port and appearance of a small woodcock, but differs in colour, and has the crown entirely black. Tell me in your next whether you have made anything out of your specimen from these hints. On the variations of colour which you mention of the peregrine falcon, I will quote a letter which I lately received from an excellent naturalist, N. C. Strickland, Esq., son of Sir Wm. Strick- land, of Boynton, in Yorkshire: he says, ‘1 consider that there are three marked varieties: the first, which is very rare, and by far the best for falconry, is very small, and rather bow-legged; blue-gray on _the back, like a heron; head very small; eye keen; legs nearly blue ; lower belly and thighs grayish white in old birds, with the markings blackish gray$ the young have the back grayish brown, with scarce any paler edgings to the feathers, and have no tinge of rufous in their plumage. The second var. (called owl-hawks by the falconers) are very large, with large and very dark eyes; the young reddish brown above, inclining to black, the feathers with broad and distinct ferrugi- nous edges; lighter parts with a strong rufous tinge; legs yellow: old birds bistre-brown above; under parts, where light, dirty brownish 5038 Letters on Natural History. white, with scarce any yellowish or grayish; the dark markings be- neath the same bistre-brown as the back: this I conceive to be the great-footed falcon of Audubon, Wilson, &c; it is the rarest of all the varieties, and useless for hawking, being spiritless and cowardly. The third or common variety is intermediate between the other two.’ This I consider a valuable communication, as Strickland, besides his ornithological knowledge, is conversant with falconry, and has tra- velled much in Norway, where the birds abound. “ Both the forktailed petrel and the common storm petrel have been more common than usual inland this year, in consequence of the storms. The common species I have often seen out at sea in blowing weather, following in the ship’s wake, with a low incessant wailing cry of ‘weet, weet:’ they skim on the surface in the manner represented in Bewick’s plate, except that the wings are always expanded, whereas he shows them closed. I never saw them at sea in calm weather, and hardly ever within sight of land: I once saw one nearly opposite Swansea, in the Bristol Channel, in very stormy weather, but the sailors regarded it as an uncommon occurrence, and said that they were scarcely ever seen above the Lundy Island. Procellaria Leachu, of which you say you have a specimen, breeds in the Hebrides, parti- cularly St. Kilda. I never saw the storm petrel actually seeim, though they keep their feet almost in the water while skimming as I men- tioned above. There are two other species of storm petrel, besides P. pelagica and P. Leachii; one of them, P. oceanica, found in the — South Pacific, and distinguished by the comparative length of the tarsi; and the other, P. Americana, on the coasts of North America. These four nearly allied species have been separated by Mr. Vigors as a distinct genus from the true petrels, under the name of Thalassi- droma. “T congratulate your Western district on the accession of that beautiful songster the blackcap to its Fauna; but I am afraid I shall not be able to furnish you with much information on your favourite group, the Sylviade, as I am ashamed to say that I am far less inti- mately acquainted with them than with many other less common groups. The greater pettychaps or fauvette I remember to have heard frequently about seven or eight years since, in the park at Lit- tlecote, Berkshire, the seat of General Popham; but the bird is sel- dom seen, as it lies in thick bushes, whence it is almost impossible to drive it: the song is most beautiful, but very difficult to identify or describe, as it consists in a great measure of imitations of the song of the other birds, in which species of mockery it is, 1 think, unri- | | , - Letters on Natural History. 5039 valled among our British songsters. This is the sum of my personal knowledge of the bird; but I am going up to Oxford next month to take my M.A. degree, and thence to visit a friend in the neighbour- hood, whose diligence of research and observation in almost every branch of Zoology are almost unrivalled, and from him I doubt not I shall be able to get you something more respecting the bird in ques- tion, which I know is found in his neighbourhood. I am thinking of getting a good air-gun cane: I had the loan of one a short time since, and found it very useful for getting small birds, without the noise and éclat of blazing away at their poor little carcases with powder and shot. “T have not seen any swallows or martins since the general migra- tion; but I think that the account I gave you in my last, of the four swallows in the roof of the Kildare-street Museum, tends to prove that they may hybernate without becoming torpid; though I cannot agree with you in considering the winter torpor of the bat tribes as an analogous case, since the much higher temperature of the blood and greater rapidity of circulation in birds must act as a preventive to torpor in a much higher degree than the lower temperature of quad- rupeds ; though at the same time | believe it is now nearly ascertained, however anomalous it may appear, that the cuckoo hybernates here, buried in dry leaves and moss: I am told by a gentleman in this neighbourhood that several are annually found by the gamekeepers in that state, at the roots of furze-bushes on Millboroungh Common. I have lately found, among my bird-skins, one which appears beyond doubt to be the female American swallow, respecting which I men- tioned my suspicions in my last. I have now no doubt in my own mind of the frequent British occurrence of that species, but shall not make it public till 1 have the opportunity next summer of procuring specimens of it and the common species for comparison, and of as- _certaining whether the difference mentioned by Wilson of the place of nidification holds good in England: its breeding in barns and outhouses in America may perhaps arise from there being, in many parts of the United States, no chimneys for it to breed in, the most cogent of all reasons against it ‘I guess.’ “Of the chiff-chaff and willow wren being specifically distinct I have no doubt, as I know them both well; but it is very difficult to make out anything respecting them from books, from the great entan- glement of their synonymy. I do not think the synonyms which Rennie, in his edition of Montagu, quotes from Temminck, for the willow wrens and fauyettes, are often right. Do you know which of 5040 Letters on Natural History. the willow wrens it is which White says ‘cantat voce striduld lo-. — custe’? I never heard any bird with such a note except the grass- hopper warbler, but my knowledge of the Sylviadex, as I said above, is but small, so if you can tell me I shall be obliged. The fire- crested wren (Sylviawgnicapilla, Temminck) is undoubtedly a different species from the common goldcrested wren, having three bands on the head instead of one; but the two species were very much confounded by the Continental naturalists till the differences were clearly pointed out by Temminck and Brehm: the bird described and figured by Buffon as ‘Le Roitelet’ is the fire-crested wren: they differ also in ~ | habits, the firecrested haunting bushes and the lower branches of trees, while our common species prefers the higher branches of firs and pines, both for habitation and nidification: if you saw the two birds together you could not doubt their distinction. I have not spe- cimens by me, but my Oxfordshire friend has, and if you will tell me in your next whether you think it worth double postage I could en- close you drawings of the heads, the difference in colouring of which would settle the point with you: I confess that I feel interested in it, as this beautiful little species may be common among us and yet have escaped detection. No author has yet mentioned the firecrested wren as British, and I believe Mr. Jenyns’ specimen, which I mentioned in my last, is as yet the only ascretained English one. “The bee-eater and golden oriole, which you mention as having been shot in your neighbourhood, are very good British birds: the glossy ibis which you mention is also generally reputed rare in Eng- land, but is, I think, much more common than is thought; the simi- larity of its habits and appearance at a distance with that of the curlews, and the great variations of age and season in its plumage, are the occasion of many specimens passing unnoticed and being con- signed to the spit instead of to the Museum. * You will, I am sure, excuse my saying that you are mistaken in supposing the horse-shoe bat to be the Vespertilio altivolans of White, which is generally considered to be the V. Noctula of natu- ralists: it is thus described in Griffith’s ‘Synopsis of Mammalia :’— ‘Body yellowish; membranes brown-black ; ears oval, but approach- ing a triangle, inner ears pointed; length of body about 3 inches; expanse 16 inches.’ The V. serotinus, which is nearly allied to the last, has ‘the back red-brown, brighter in the females; membrane black; ears as in V. Noctula, but larger; length of body under 3 inches; expanse 14 inches.’ The horse-shoe bat of England is about 3 inches in body, 14 inches in expanse; reddish ash above, Letters on Natural History. 5041 whitish gray below; and it has no internal auricle or secondary ear within the outer one, which, with the bi-lanceolate nasal appendage, at once distinguishes it from every other British species. There are said to be ten or twelve species of British bats, but I do not know much about them ; in fact, for the last two years I have devoted my- self so exclusively to Entomology that I have paid scarcely any atten- tion to the other branches of the Science, but having now got a tolerable footing among the insects I mean to divide my attention Detween them and my old friends the birds. Next summer I have ‘some idea of studying fishes, which are much neglected in England, :. I doubt whether I shall make much of them. _ “T believe I have now discussed, to the best of my ability, all the topics started in your last letter, and will now proceed with whatever :- of information I have collected since my last. | _ “The little bustard (Otis tetrax) was shot on the 28rd of Decem- “der last by a farmer, at Brockley Wood, somewhere in the neighbour- “hood of Oxford: it is now one of the rarest English birds, and I cannot conceive how it continues to subsist in the island, the instances of its capture being so ‘ few and far between;’ while it is seemingly ‘too large a bird to escape detection, and much too feeble of flight to ‘be capable of crossing the Channel from France. _ “An itinerant bird-stuffer, named Burl, showed me lately a specimen of the scissor-tailed goatsucker of S. America (Caprimulgus psalurus of Temminck), which he assured me he himself shot at Tewkesbury, m Gloucestershire, June 19th, 1825: I should not of course give im- ?p icit credit to a bird-stuffer’s account of a bird which he had on sale; ‘but from the soft and fresh appearance of the skin, which had not the hardened and compressed air of one which had been packed and sent “across sea, I should almost feel inclined to credit his statement, in which case the bird would be a singular addition to our British Fauna. There i is an uncoloured plate of it in Griffith’s translation of Cuvier, : which I think you have in your public reading-room. The same man told me that in December, 1832, he saw a specimen of the longlegged : plover at Frensham pond (the same place whence White’s specimen came from), but could not get at it: at the same time there were some : Specimens seen there of the Egyptian spurwinged plover, one of which was shot. The same man showed me a specimen of the black- billed whistling duck of the West Indies, which he told me was sent to him in the flesh twenty-two or twenty-three years ago, and which he understood to have been shot on one of the Cumberland lakes. | XIV. Q 5042 Letters on Natural History. He had also a pair of buff herons, shot near Dover, in January, — 1832. “Strickland writes me word that two specimens of the Carolina — cuckoo (Coccyzus Americanus) have been lately shot in Ireland, and one in Wales, but does not give the dates. The American swallow- | tailed kite (Falco furcatus) has been several times of late years killed — in Ireland and England; one was shot two years since in Wensley- daie, Yorkshire, and another in the Bishop of Winchester’s park at — Farnham, last sammer. The eagle owl was shot in the last week of Hl the old year, at Weston-on-the-Green, nine miles from Oxford,—a singular instance of its occurrence so far South. | “My brother shot a water-rail the last day of the year, and we | made a skin of it, as it is not a very common bird hereabouts: it was , prodigiously fat. I am afraid we shall not get many of the rare water | birds this winter, as it seems to be set in for an open season; but you on the sea-coast have a better chance for such windfalls than I have in my inland situation. “I should have mentioned above, in speaking of the Noctule bats that the length as there given is exclusive of the tail, which is an inch | and a half more. I myself think that White’s description comes — nearer to V. serotinus, but Fleming and Sir W. Jardine refer it to V. — Noctula, the synonyms of which have been much confounded with — those of V. serotinus. In the Catalogue of the Zoological Society’s — Museum, in Bruton Street, I see aspecies of bat mentioned as British | by the name Plecotus brevimanus, Jenyns (short-armed long-eared bat), but I do not remember the specimen, nor in what it differs from the common long-eared bat (P. auritus). As you seem to have studied the bats, can you tell me whether you ever observed any dif. ference? Fleming says that the V. Noctula (or altivolans of White) | winters in Italy: can you tell me the time of its migration, as you! say it is not uncommon with you? | “As a proof how much birds are influenced in their habitat by tems. perature, I give you a list of European birds found in the Indi provinces at the foot of the Himalaya, where the average climate is: much as in England: the list is partly from the notes of the Hon. FL J. Shore, partly from specimens in the Liverpoo] Museum, collectec in India by Mr. Everest: those which may be slight varieties of th European species are marked with a query :—Falco subbuteo; F. tin= nunculus; F. nisus; F. ater (the black kite of Germany) ; F. rufus. (moor buzzard); F. cyaneus (hen harrier) ; Strix flammea; 8. brachy-: tesa tae cite Letters on Natural History. 5043 otos; S. otus; Corvus corone; Oriolis galbula; Sylvia Pheenicurus ; Saxicola rubicola (stonechat) ; Motacilla flava (yellow wagtail) ; Frin- gilla domestica (common sparrow), only slightly differing from ours ; Fringilla carduelis? (goldfinch)—I think this is probably an allied species, F'. spinoides, Gould, wanting the black and white on the head; Cuculus canorus; Sitta Europea, a slight variety, deeper coloured on the breast; Upupa Epops; Alcedo ispida, a trifling va- riety, rather smaller; Hirundo riparia; Pterocles setarius (the pintail grouse of Spain); Perdix Francolinus (the Francolin partridge); Te- trao Coturnix ; Calidris arenaria (sanderling); Himantopus mela- nopterus (longlegged plover); Charadrius pluvialis? Jardine and Selby think may be specifically distinct, but it is very closely allied ; C. hiaticulaf Vanellus melanogaster, Temm. (Tringa squatarola, Linn.); Ardea Egretta; A. Nycticorax ; Ibis falcinellus (glossy ibis) ; Numenius arquatus (curlew), a small variety; N. pheopus (whim- brel) ; Tringa Temminckii (stint); T. cinerea (knot), a slight variety ; Totanus calidris (redshank) ; T. ochropus; T. glareola; T. hypoleu- cos; Limosa melanura (godwit); Scolopax gallinago; Gallinula pu- silla; Porphyrio hyacinthinus (purple water-hen of Italy); Podiceps minor; Anas rutila (ruddy goose); A. strepera; A. acuta; A. Pe- nelope; A. querquedula; A. crecca; A. ferina; A. nyroca; Mergus merganser. The names are from Temminck. Besides these, the green and spotted woodpeckers, creeper, nutcracking crow, &c., of Europe, are all represented by birds differing just enough to show them to be distinct species. I remember to have read that Humboldt attempted to draw what he termed zsothermal lines, viz., lines bound- ing and connecting the different regions throughout the earth in which the mean temperature of the atmosphere was the same, in which, ac- cording to his theory, the natural productions would come under the same, or at least under allied genera: the birds of Nepaul and the Dhoon, as I have given them above, seem strongly corroborative of Some such arrangement, though I am afraid that, like many other plausible theories, its application to Zoology would never become more than a matter of curious speculation. ** Have you ever found Montagu’s ashcoloured iia in Cornwall? the bird described by Selby as the female is (according to Strickland, who is well acquainted with the species) a young bird: Montagu like- wise describes a young male for the mature female, stating that the under parts are of an uniform colour, which is not the case, as in the female ‘every feather underneath, for a considerable space on each side the shaft, is very much darker than at the edges, so as to give 5044 Letters on Natural History. the appearance of lengthened streaks down the breast, belly and — sides, but more particularly on the breast.’ Tt is a singular character _ of the bird that the colour of the irides varies in different specimens, being in some deep hazel, in others very light yellow: it may, how- ever, always be known from the common hen harrier, exclusive of the _ differences in the plumage, by almost entirely wanting the ruff on the _ neck so conspicuous in both sexes of the hen harrier when alive: ~ the ashcoloured harrier is also much smaller. The following are the 4 dimensions of four specimens, given by Mr. Aikins in the ‘ Zoological — Journal :’—‘ A male, killed June 17, weighed 9% oz. troy; length 17} _ inches, breadth 33 feet: a female, killed June 17, weighed 10% oz.; | length 182 inches, breadth 3 feet 63 inches: a female, killed June 19, weighed 93 oz.; length 174 inches, breadth 8 feet 9 inches, length of © tail 93 inches: a female, killed July 1, weighed 8% oz.; length 17 | inches, breadth 3 feet 9 inches, length of tail 9 inches. ‘ In the crop of the first,’ says Mr. Aikins, ‘ were five lizards in fragments, the tails” only perfect.’ Strickland describes the young, from birds which were ~ observed in the nest till full-feathered: ‘Young female: head and — round the eyes dirty white; crown and neck orange-brown, spotted 4 with umber; base of feathers on the nape white; wing-coverts © orange-brown, marked with umber; throat yellow-white; two middle | tail-feathers umber, the rest orange-brown, barred with umber; other- — wise like the young male. Young male: head, neck and upper parts umber, margins orange-brown; upper tail-covers pale hair be | primaries and secondaries brown-black ; outer webs of the primaries — tinged with gray, which is not the case in the female; tips of se- | condaries yellowish white; plumage in general of a lighter cast than — that of the young female.’ I rather think that Strickland intends to _ publish something on Ornithology shortly ; if he does it will be some- | thing worth having, as he is one of the best ornithologists I know. | “I believe my budget of scraps is now exhausted, and I dare say you think it is quite time it should be; but I hope you will return to’ the attack shortly, as I shall be grateful for any information you willl give me in any branch of Zoology; so in hopes of hearing oom from you, is ot me bd } *“*[ remain very truly yours, | ‘FREDERICK HOLME.” ¥ Notices of New Books. 5045 ‘The World of Insects: a Guide to its Wonders” By J. W. Dovuetas, Secretary to the Entomological Society of London. London: Van Voorst, 1856. 245 pp. 12in0. Price 3s. 6d. THERE is not an entomologist, from the Land’s End to John-o- Groat’s, but will read with pleasure the announcement of a book by Mr. Douglas: one and all will be influenced by a kindly feeling for the man, fully justified by antecedents: and will, furthermore, assuredly expect to find something remarkable, profound, or new, _ because they have perceived, whenever Mr. Douglas has put pen to paper, promises of something far beyond the average of entomological contributions to our stock of knowledge. Thus, when the curtain is drawn up on his first performance, he will behold a sea of smiling faces prepared to give him a hearty, even an enthusiastic, welcome. Now be it known unto all men, that the “we” of a review is but an individual; and, moreover, an individual as liable to error as any other; often the mere man of straw in the rostrum; and therefore his dictum, however dogmatic, and “ dogmatism is nothing more than puppyism matured,” is of no value, and can only receive its value in the sequel. Of course, then, the “we” of ‘The Zoologist,’ on this occasion, is but an individual; and he does not wish either to com- promise ‘ The Zoologist’ or to injure an author, by the unintentional misuse of a pen, intrusted on this particular occasion to his feeble hand: he has undertaken the task reluctantly, but having undertaken it “‘ Business must be attended to,” as Mr. Douglas informs us, in his opening paragraph. Well then! the book is disappointing; yes, reader! disappointing, because we had formed so high an opinion of the author’s abilities that we were sure not to be satisfied with anything that did not soar vastly above mediocrity. Just, however, in inverse proportion to the absence of the remarkable, the profound and the new, is the presence _ Of the agreeable, the seductive, the amusing, and, to many, of the - Instructive. Mi No book could ever be more truly characterized as a compilation, but certainly no compilation ever displayed an author in a more favorable light; he is perfectly at home with every writer who has touched his subject, and passing by the technical, the vapid and the erroneous, as though he saw it not, he reproduces, with great gusto, the original, the vivid and the true. He has Rusticus at his 5046 Notices of New Books. fingers’ ends, and gives him a marked preference: he cites Rusticus on the apple weevil; Rusticus on the apple moth; Rusticus on the American blight; Rusticus on the gooseberry grub; Rusticus on the burying beetle ; Rusticus on the tiger beetle. Side by side with these, are long extracts from Smith’s admirable Catalogue of Bees, and, like the two great landscape painters, ancient and modern, lately placed in similar juxtaposition in our National Gallery, these two word- painters of insect-life, writers of the past and present generation, detract nothing from the merits of each other. But while noticing the extent of these citations, it is but justice to Mr. Douglas to say that they are always made with the most perfect fairness; chapter and verse are given with scrupulous accuracy; and the shade of Rusticus, once disturbed in its rest, by the award of a pension and a salary to the two arch pilferers of his treasures, must rejoice in finding that he has at last found a commentator and quoter who fully and honestly adopts the motto of swum cuique. Let not the reader, however, for a moment apprehend that the ‘World of Insects’ is filled with quotations: it is not so: quotations there are in abundance, but they are connected together by the happiest interludes ; they are pearls indeed, but pearls strung together on a thread of the richest gold. Mr. Douglas seems to possess a mine of wit, and that of the purest ore. Wit, or the assumption of it, is the attribute, or perhaps, the weakness of entomologists, and is most diversified in its development; the wit of one is cumbrous, reminding us of the gambols of an elephant; the wit of another is caustic and practical, developing itself in unpleasant words: the wit of another, “ like a polished razor keen, Wounds with a touch that’s scarcely felt or seen ;” but the wit of Douglas wounds not at all,—it plays around its object like the luminous, but innocuous, flash of summer lightning. The book is divided into twelve chapters:—the House: the Garden: the Orchard and Fruit Garden: the Fields: the Hedges and Lanes: the Fences: the Heaths and Commons: the Downs: the Woods: the Waters: the Sea-Shore: the Mountains. We give a short extract from “the Garden,” an extract which fairly exhibits the spirit pervading the whole. ' “The garden being an artificial assemblage of certain plants within a restricted space, there to be cultivated for the sake of their foliage, flowers or fruit, it follows that all the insects attached thereto have CC I Notices of New Books. 5047 thus the conditions favourable to their increase proportionably multi- plied and cared for. Some insects accordingly abound in gardens, not only in those attached to mansions in the country, but in those small parallelograms attached to modest suburban residences, which are ironically, or by courtesy, termed gardens, but the number of spe- cies found is not very great. Many garden flowers, however, are attractive to insects born and bred beyond the boundary wall, and draw them from the surrounding woods or fields: so far a garden is an advantage to a collector, for some of the visitors are rare and not otherwise to be obtained, or at least not without great trouble. I allude more particularly to the Sphingide, ‘Soft moths that kiss The sweet lips of the flowers and harm not,’ hovering over them, Petunzas especially, in some years in great abundance. I suspect that if gardens near the south-coast were atten- tively watched on summer evenings the number of our native species of Sphingidz, at present very small, might be increased, and some of the rarer species of the family be more often taken than they are at present. “Did you ever see a Sphinx fly? There is nothing to compare its motion to, except a flash of lightning. While yon are looking at a flower in the twilight, between you and it glides a motion, a moving haziness, which is before you and yet conveys to your eye no definite image. Before you have half thought what it can be, you see the flower again distinctly, and rub your eyes, thinking there must have been an illusion, or possibly an unsteadiness of vision caused by the irritation of that gnat that was buzzing about your head; when, lo! the flower just beyond seems to shiver,—you move to see what is there, but there is a move before you, and a dim shadow flits away like a thought. Can it be anything real? Stand still awhile: and now, in the increasing gloom, as you bend over the Petunias, holding your breath, you see a darkness visible drop down before you, but its presence is better made known by the humming caused by the rapid vibration of wings. Stir not, or this aérial body will float away. Now you see it deigns not to alight or touch the margin of the chalice, but, poising itself 1n air, stretches out its long tubular tongue and quaffs the nectar at the bottom. Now or never, if you wish to catch it. Strike with your ring-net rapidly below the flower, raising your hand and turning your wrist at the same moment. 5048 Notices of New Books. There you have it—Sphina Convolvuli! Look, what a living glory, its eyes like stars brought down for us to look znto, and behold, we can see nothing but light. But if you wish to see the other beauties of your captive to-morrow, you must kill it: first stop its fluttering by a pinch on the under side of the thorax, and then a dose of oxalic acid on the point of a needle will put it hors du combat. It has lost a little of its lustre by struggling in the net, as might have been expected, the scales on the wings of all Lepidoptera being easily rubbed off, but it is as good a specimen as is usually got in this way: perfect ones are rarely obtained, except by rearing them from the caterpillar, and such rare species as this are seldom found in their early states.”—p. 28. Having already expressed disappointment, it would be somewhat inconsistent to wind up with the stereotyped recommendation of good-humoured critics to “rush and buy;” and yet such is our recommendation : the work truly does less than justice to the author’s position as an entomologist; it is not self-reliant enough for one who fills to admiration an arduous post in the “ World of Entomologists;” but it is the very image of the author as a man; a perfect and pleasing photograph of himself: and we wait patiently for that day when the entomologist, as well as the man, shall be thus fairly pourtrayed by his own hand. In the mean time we must accept what we can get, and we can assure those who are yet on the threshold of the study that they will find oar author the most agreeable of instructors. JG. Synonymic List of the British Species of Philhydrida, with Notices of Localities, $c. By the Rev. Hamvetr Criark, M.A. (Continued from page 5008). Genus HETEROCERUS. 1. H. marginatus, Fub. This very variable insect appears to be generally distributed. Like its congeners it burrows in the mud, and may be found in these situations both in salt-water and fresh- water localities. 9. Hi. obsoletus, Curt. Less abundant in the North than in the London district. In profusion near Gravesend; Southend; Lincoln, on the banks of the Witham ; Northampton. Insects. 5049 _ 8. H. minutus, Dej. Apparently more rare than either of the pre- ceding species. Stephens gives as localities Aberystwith, Southend. I have occasionally found the insects of this genus on the surface of, but more frequently beneath, the mud. The entomologist, when searching for them, will look out for little holes, the entrances to their burrows, and, if possible, on mud which has become firm, at least on the surface. Let him then, with his knife, peel off some of this drier surface, and examine it carefully for their mines. By following them up he will meet with the insects, if they are to be found in the loca- lity. They seldom mine below an inch in depth from the surface. Genus GEORYSSUS. 1. G. pygmeus, Fab. This species, the sole English representa- tive of the family Georysside, is allied to the Parnide and Heteroce- tide. “Southend,” by Mr. Waterhouse ; damp places near London ; “in Suffolk and Norfolk ;”’ and “in the Annan, near Moffat ;” are the principal recorded localities. Genus PARNUS. 1. P. prolefericornis, “ab. Common everywhere, under rejecta- menta, at the roots of wet grass. | 2. P. auriculatus, Z/iig. I have seldom met with this distinct spe- cies. Wandsworth Common; Kimpton; Marton; Pentland Hills. 3. P. Dumerilil, Zatr. So far as I am aware, this insect has not been taken for several years in England. “Banks of Wandle,” “Garrett Green,” ‘“‘in Yorkshire,” “banks of the Trent,” are the recorded localities. Iam indebted to Mr. Janson for my example, which was taken, many years ago, near Dorking, by Pelerin, who sup- plied the principal London cabinets with the species. Genus ELMis. 1. E. Volkmari, Panz. This handsome, large species is not uncommon, and is widely distributed. 2. KE. variabilis, Leach. Not rare in the northern counties; taken | in profusion, by Dr. Power, near Wallington; North Wales; Carlisle; common in one of the deep lakes of Mull. 3. E. lacustris, Steph. Allied to, but apparently distinct from, the previous species. It is to be noticed that while E. variabilis, Leach, is taken only or principally in the northern counties, E. lacustris, Steph., has its metropolis in the southern. I have never been so XIV. R 5050 Insects. fortunate as to meet with it myself. The recorded localities are “ near — Hull,” “ Norwich,” “ banks of Teviot,” “ Norfolk.” 4. E. eneus, Mill. The most abundant of the genus. 5. E. cupreus, Mill. This and the following species are readily — separated from their congeners by the absence of any thoracic longi- _ tudinal lines: From Mr. Dawson’s cabinet I find that this species is _ to be found in profusion in the Isle of Wight. I have taken it very — sparingly near Llangollen, and also in the Snowdonian district; also taken by the Rev. W. Hey in Yorkshire, and by Dr. Power in North- umberland; and, according to Stephens, “ near London.” 6. E. nitens, Mill. Smaller and more brassy than the last. I | know but little of the habits or localities of this species. It appears — to be Jocal or rare. ‘‘ Near London,” Mr. Stephens. 7. E. parallelipedus, Mill. Readily distinguished from all conge- ners by its oblong form. Not common, though generally distributed. Exeter; Manchester; Scotland. Genus SPERCHZUS. 1. S. emarginatus, Schal. Few cabinets possess this species, con- sidered one of the rarest of our British insects. I imagine that, like © many other “rarities,” it may be found in profusion, and that our — ignorance respecting it proceeds, not from its being difficult to dis- cover, but from our not searching for it in its proper habitat or season. Windsor; near York; Kensington Gardens; Yaxley Fen; have been | given as localities. “Quelquefois assez commun sous la vase desse- — chée des fossés, ou dans les eaux stagnantes.”— Fairm. | Genus HELEPHORUS. able from its size. 2. H. nubilus, Fab. Not abundant. Sandy places, Copenhagen > Fields ; Holme Fen. : : ; | 3. H. rugosus, Oliv. Not common. Taken occasionally in abun-— 1. H. grandis, Z/dig. Common everywhere. At once distinguish- 4 | ; | dance in spring and autumn floods. a | These two species may be at once distinguished from their conge- _ i ners by the carinated interstices of their elytra. | 4. H. aquaticus, Zinn. Redtenbacher, to whom I looked for information, was absent; but this circumstance was, to a great extent, remedied by the kindness of my friend Dr. Ernst Briicke, Professor of Physiology in the University of Vienna, who, in a letter lately received, has given me the following information, derived from Herr Redtenbacher :— “ The caterpillars, he says, are eviscerated through the anus, and the skin is then blown out, being fixed upon a tube (‘man bloss sie an einen Tiibiliis befastigt auf’), and carefully held all the while over a pan of hot coals, until they become quite dry, and are no longer liable to change their form. Caterpillars with peculiarly delicate colours, such as green or pale rose, are liable of course to lose their colours in this drying process. To replace them,a mass of wax, of the natural hue of the insect, is poured in through the opening by which it was eviscerated. “The Professor adds, that the beauty of these preparations, as seen in the Imperial cabinet, depends less upon the nature of the method than upon the manual dexterity of the operator, assisted by long practice. I doubt not, however, that many members of the Entomological Society possess this dexterity to an extent quite great enough to produce specimens equal to those I have described, especially when the hope of enriching their cabinets has induced the practice necessary to the attainment of perfection.” —£. S. Long-tailed Field-mouse-—The Rev. Gilbert White mentions having witnessed a female of this species travelling with her young attached to her teats. This anecdote always appeared to me extraordinary, and I had many times thought that the good old historian must have been mistaken; for, having seen many hundreds of nests, parent animals and their young, during the breeding-season, I had never met with a similar circumstance. But the historian of Selborne is probably correct. One day during the summer which is just passed I found a nest of this mouse in a clover-field which had just been mown. Upon disturbing the nest, the female made her escape through the stems of the clover, having attached to her hinder parts (but whether to the fur or teats I cannot positively say, though I tried hard to ascertain) three young ones, about a third of her own size. The young were all close together, with their backs upward; and the four might have been mistaken for a single animal, or a large brown reptile trailing through the grass. The mouse, although thus encumbered, travelled with considerable speed, but scarcely so fast as it usually does. She showed much affection for her young; and when, having travelled many yards, the young became detached from her person she would not leave them, and could scarcely be frightened from the spot.—John Joseph Briggs; King’s Newton, Derby. 5312 Birds. — Ornithology of Andalusia. By Caprain WaTKINS. Havine read with great interest the Rev. W. T. Bree’s and the Be Rey. A. C. Smith’s accounts of the Natural History of Switzerland, . I venture to send the following imperfect account of the Ornithology of Andalusia, a province particularly rich in birds, from its proximity to Africa, hoping that some may find pleasure in reading it. I am myself much interested in Natural History, and have a goodly collec- tion of birds, British and European, as also some five-and-twenty cases of American birds, obtained during three years’ service with my regiment in Nova Scotia. I merely send a list of a few of the birds observed in the province, of most of which I was able to obtain specimens, and have now the pleasure of seeing them stuffed in my collection, recalling many pleasant scenes and happy hours spent in the wild and lovely province of Andalusia. Common Vulture (Vultur fulvus). This magnificent and useful bird forms a striking feature in the Ornithology of this part of Spain: in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar they are very numerous, being seen at times in large flocks of from twenty-five to fifty, particularly where there is anything in the shape of a dead horse or cow in a state of de- composition. These birds form the scavengers of the country, and indeed of almost all hot climates; and when one views them soaring, with outspread wings, through the air, at times ascending until their large size appears no larger than a small hawk, and then descending in large circles until within gun-shot of the ground, knowing full well that their keen sense of smelling is guiding them unerringly to the spot where a savoury meal awaits them, one cannot but acknowledge the infinite wisdom of the Almighty, who has formed these birds, as well as every other living creature, each in its own sphere to be of service to man. I had the good luck to shoot a splendid specimen of this bird when out boar-hunting in the cork wood, bringing him down from a great height with a heavy charge of buck-shot: he was, when killed, I must own, a most repulsive-looking object (having lately breakfasted), a most offensive smell bearing ample testimony that he had not failed to do his part towards ridding the country of offensive matter. The wild and beautiful scenery of this part of Spain adds in no small degree to the pleasure of the Ornithologist. Who does not feel a thrill of pleasure as he views, for the first time, a strange bird, or recognizes an old acquaintance in some well-known bird of hisown Birds. 5313 dear island, amidst scenery which few—and certainly no naturalist— can contemplate without wonder and awe. Egyptian Vulture ( Vultur percnopterus). Occurs sparingly in this province. I have only seen two or three of these birds, and those alone. I know not whether it is gregarious where it is found in plenty, but here it seems a lover of solitude. Merlin (Falco esalon). This beautiful little hawk appears to be rare in this part of Spain: I have only once or twice observed it. Kestrel (Falco Tinnunculus) and the Little Kestrel (Falco Tin- nunculoides). Occur in great numbers: the latter is a most interesting little bird to watch. The north front of Gibraltar (where they breed) and the Neutral Ground between the British and Spanish lines, is in early spring swarming with this pretty little hawk, and it is most amusing to watch it hawking for locusts, which, I fancy, form a considerable part of its food: twenty or thirty together may be seen hovering a yard or two from the ground, and then settling to feast upon the locusts, which abound on the neutral ground. This province is most rich in Entomology: as early as the beginning of February the mountain-sides were enlivened by numerous Lepidoptera — Colias Edusa, Papilio Machaon, Gonepteryx. Rhamni and Cleopatra, Pieris Daplidice, and many others flitting about in great profusion: the curious (and in Africa, I believe, still sacred) Mantis religiosa occurs also plentifully: a beautiful species of Saturnia is also very abundant. 3 Common Kite (Falco milvus) and Black Kite (Falco ater) are both plentiful. I possess one of each of these birds alive, which I brought with me from Seville: the black kite, the landlord of the “Forida Europa” assured me, was taken in the year 1855 from a nest in one of the domes of the cathedral. ‘These birds, in their present domestic state, have a great penchant for vegetables and fruit. I have watched them often and often in my kitchen-garden plucking the pods of peas, and eating the contents: a bed of radishes also (which I was at a loss to conceive what had demolished) I one morning found occupied by my two pets, eagerly devouring them: they could not have been driven to it by hunger, as they were well supplied with birds and young rabbits. Since the figs and peaches have been ripe they have indulged most freely in their taste for fruit, nothing pleasing them better than a fig. I consider the fact of these birds feeding on vegetable matter worthy of note: other and far better ornithologists than myself will probably know whether similar instances are on record. XIV, 3D 5314 Birds. The Lordly Peregrine ( Falco peregrinus) and the Marsh Harrier (F. rufus) are both very common. When out snipe-shooting I have always seen. numbers of the latter hawking, beating their ground most systematically along the banks of the Guadalquiver: they are par- ticularly numerous. Others of the falcon tribe, according to Don Antonio Machado, in his ‘ Catalogo de las Aves Observadas in Algunas Provincias de Anda- lucia,’ are commonly met with ; among them the hobby, sparrow-hawk, goshawk, buzzard, roughlegged buzzard, &c. Of Owls I only met with three varieties, though the above authority gives many others; among them the noble eagle owl (Strix bubo) I myself obtained, the little owl (S. passerina), S. Scops and Teng- malm’s owl (S. Tengmalmi): the two first of these were common. M. Fevier, a French naturalist and a very good ornithologist, living at Tangier, in Africa, where I spent a few profitable hours, informed me that Strix passerina, S. Scops, and S. Tengmalmi were all common in Northern Africa: he had a large and valuable collection of skins, ad- mirably prepared, with which he supplies many museums in Paris and other parts of France. Raven (Corvus corax). This ill-omened bird breeds on the rock of Gibraltar: every morning, from the beginning of February to the middle of March, I used to see a pair flying over my house, uttering their croaking note. The Jay (Garrulus glandarius). Occurs plentifully in the cork wood, where I have often seen and heard them, when out with the hounds. The woods and wilds of Andalusia echo to the sound of horn and hound, a pack being kept by the garrison of Gibraltar, which noble sport, two days in the week, formed our chief amusement, and many a good gallop you get with the Calpe hounds,—bringing back to memory many a gallant run over a far different country,—the fair plains of England. The Spaniards gaze on us with no small astonish- ment, as they behold us galloping most impossible-looking mountain- sides, and firmly believe all Englishmen more or less mad. The Blue Magpie (Pica cyanea) and Common Magpie (P. cau- data) also occur in this province, though I have never met with the former. The beautiful Roller (Coracias garrula) I once saw, though un- fortunately I had no gun with me to make a specimen of him. I was intently fishing with the water-net for Philhydrida, and, on looking up, saw what at first appeared a patch of blue in a bush, but I was quickly undeceived by the beautiful bird leaving me to pursue my a oe Birds. 5315 study alone, and flying leisurely away. These birds are migratory here, arriving at the beginning of May, and leaving at the end of September or early in October. The Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula) arrives about the same time as the roller, and with it takes its departure. I have seen these birds once or twice only: I obtained a beautiful male and female from Fevier, of Tangier. I only obtained one of the Shrikes (Lanius rufus), and saw no others. Don Machado gives L. excubitor, L. meridionalis, L. Col- lurio and L. minor, as visiting the province: I believe they are all migratory. L. rufus arrived about the end of March, about which time the nightingale arrived in great numbers, enlivening the cork wood with their strains: they must have arrived between the 21st and 29th of March, as I had not observed them previously, and I could not have failed to have done so had they been in the country. The Hoopoe ( Upupa epops) arrives in March, and is called the March cock, being exposed for sale in the Gibraltar market. Bee-eater (Merops apiaster). First and foremost among the birds of Andalusia must rank the gay and lovely bee-eater: it arrives early in April. I had a good opportunity of judging, as I saw large flocks of from twenty to fifty crossing the Straits of Gibraltar from Africa, and shot two specimens as I was standing on the sands. As soon as they were clear of the sea their clear, shrill note was audible, long be- fore the birds themselves were visible: they fly and hawk for flies much after the manner of swallows, uttering incessantly their wild, clear note. On one occasion I stood under the shade of a large cork tree, and watched some twenty of them hawking in a different manner than usual: they were perched on the summit of a large tree, and would fly a little distance, poising themselves on the wing, after the manner of the fly-catchers, taking their food, and again returning to the spot: I obtained as many specimens as I required, and of course shot no more, having a great reluctance to destroy any bird wantonly. In May, when going up the Guadalquiver to Seville, these birds were breeding in hundreds in the sand-banks overhanging the river: it was most interesting to watch them flying in and out of the holes, like sand martins. I should much have enjoyed landing for an hour, and procuring some of their eggs, but of course that was out of the question. The Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) inhabits this part of Spain. A flock used to frequent my garden, feeding on the fruit of the Arbor Vite: they were exceedingly tame, and I had a good opportunity of 5316 Birds. watching their habits. As it was against garrison orders to shoot on the rock, I had recourse to a small rat-trap to procure a specimen, carefully concealing it in the foliage, and placing a cone of the Arbor Vite upon it: I had the satisfaction to be rewarded for my trouble with a fine female specimen: I never, however, caught another, although the birds returned to their food, and were constantly in the tree. The Common Robin ( Turdus migratorius) [? Ed.] spends the winter in Andalusia. I had two or three in my garden all the winter months, but on the approach of hot weather they disappeared, and I never saw one anywhere after the end of March. 1 was informed by a friend at Gibraltar that at Malta the robin arrives regularly for the winter months in great numbers, but migrates again on the approach of the hot weather, which dries and parches everything, so that they would be unable easily to obtain their food. During the winter the climate affords them abundant sustenance. } In the same manner the Kingfisher winters in this province, but I never saw it during the summer, although I have frequently passed its winter haunts. I could add many more birds to my list; perhaps at some future date, should this prove acceptable, I may venture to send another communication. C. W. WATKINS. October, 1856. Notes on Birds in Germany. By Henry SmurtTuwalre, Esq. Havine lately passed some time in a district of Germany, where I had many opportunities of observing the habits of some rather rare British birds, a short notice of the most interesting of these may perhaps prove acceptable to the numerous readers of the ‘ Zoologist.’ The town in which I have been residing is Reuss Greiz, the capital of a small principality on the borders of Saxony, and during my stay there I have daily seen great numbers of the white wagtail (Motacilla alba). These pretty and graceful birds were to be seen at all hours in the immediate vicinity of the town, and during the last month (Sep- tember) in surprising numbers. A small stream of muddy water ran through the principal streets of Greiz, and emptied itself into the river Elster; at the junction of the two several pairs were always to be seen —_ "> es a) = ee SS eee eee Birds. 5317 flitting to and fro, and occasionally stopping to take a bath in the far from inviting-looking water. I frequently also saw them perched on the roofs of many of the houses, and the church-leads were always occupied by four or five, who appeared to live in the greatest harmony with the sparrows and martins. I invariably, however, observed them in greatest abundance in the large open fields of barley (the chief haunt also of the ortolan bunting), at a considerable distance from any water. From their movements and cries I am convinced that many of them had nests with young (the time of which I speak was the second week in August) in these very fields, and as the ground was a dead level, the nests must have been placed, like those of the larks and buntings, under the shelter of some clod of earth, &c. Now it is well known that our own Ray’s wagtail will frequently build in a similar situation, and possibly the pied wagtail also; but this pecu- liarity has never, to my knowledge, been previously remarked in M. alba. I questioned the country people on this point, and their evidence concurred with the notion I had formed; in fact, I feel con- vinced that, were proper search made in the breeding-season, more nests of this species would be found in the open fields than in any other locality. I had not time to make a protracted search for the nests, and I regretted this the more because the discovery even of a single one in such a locality would have gone far to prove that it was the situation most frequently chosen; and although I am satisfied, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the nests did exist, yet, as they remained undiscovered, the chain of evidence rests incomplete. I am in great hope, however, that as British naturalists who devote them- selves especially to the study of Oology are becoming annually more numerous and persevering in their Continental investigations, this point and many others connected with the Motacillide will be soon satisfactorily explained. No family of birds demand more attention than the wagtails: I feel sure that our five British species are by no means properly understood, and if the labours of future ornithologists were to bring to light the fact of our possessing more species than is at present supposed, it would be the realization of an idea which I have formed since I have had so many opportunities of observing these beautiful and interesting birds in Germany. The Pied Wagtail also occurred in the neighbourhood of Griez, but, compared with M. alba, was rare, and appeared confined to a particular locality: the last-named species is doubtless double- brooded, for early in August there were plenty of young birds able to take care of themselves. 5318 Birds. I once or twice saw the Grayheaded Wagtail (17. flava), but it was decidedly. scarce; the country, in fact, was not well suited to its habits, as there was a total absence of marshy ground, in which it seems particularly to delight. Many naturalists have spoken of the difficulty of “ beating up” the feathered population of the Continental states. I think it is Mr. Wolley who mentions this with regard to Lapland: many also have remarked the great scarcity of small birds in Germany: to a certain extent this is doubtless true, but at the same time great caution should be used in stating positively that certain species are rare or unknown in particular districts: for more than a month after my arrival in Greiz I sought the black redstart (Sylvia tithys) in vain, and it was not until put on the right scent by a gentleman in the town that I discovered how abundant it really was. Every one who has travelled through the central part of Germany must have observed in each field a small wooden building, somewhat loosely constructed, and answering the double purpose of barn and stable. These are the great haunts of the black redstart, and in the breeding-season scarcely one of them is without its pair of birds, and during the whole year they affect more or less the same situation. On discovering this fact 1 had no difficulty in seeing as many speci- mens as I desired, and in the course of five minutes I have frequently observed ten or twelve of this attractive species, chiefly females or young males of the year, but the old males were also often to be seen, and a handsomer bird it would be difficult to find. They remain for hours together perched on some particular point of the roof of these barns, occasionally leaving their station for a few moments in pursuit of insects, but invariably returning to the same spot. They were, however, somewhat shy, and the instant they became conscious of the presence of man either entered the building through one of the numerous crevices, or flew to a distant part of the field. They are also double-brooded, and, as my friend Mr. Miller informed me, fre- quently lay in the first nest eight eggs, but in the second never more than five. The common redstart I also observed now and then, but it was not abundant: by the country people it is called ‘‘ wood red- start,” and S. Tithys “ house redstart,” the last-named sharing with the swallow and golden crest the favour of the kindly disposed and fanciful peasantry. Another very interesting bird, alah I often watched with great pleasure, was the crested tit (Parus cristatus). ‘They were always to be seen amidst the branches of a small plantation of fir and birch | . : Birds. 5319 trees about half a mile from Greiz, usually in company with the long- tailed tit and golden-crested regulus. It was a species well known to the country people, and, as I found on inquiry, existed in great num- bers in all the surrounding woods, preferring, however, those com- posed of fir trees. Like its congeners, it was active and sprightly in the extreme, but by no means shared their familiarity, as I never suc- ceeded in approaching nearer to it than ten or a dozen yards. In this district it remains the whole year. The nests, however, are but seldom found. HENRY SMURTHWAITE. October 5, 1856. Occurrence of the Honey Buzzard near Penzance.—A third example of the honey buzzard has been captured, during the last week, in Cornwall, and within a couple of miles westward of Penzance, in a wooded valley. It has altogether the appearance of being a bird of the year, from the dark colour of the iris, the shortness of the tail- feathers, the shorter and straighter character of the claws than any I have yet seen, and from the yellow colour pervading the base of the lower mandible, and the skin forming the boundaries of the gape. The whole of the head, cheeks (including the small, closely-set feathers between the beak and eye), and the upper plumage is of a uniform dark chocolate-brown; this colour is a little broken on the nape of the neck. The under parts from the throat to the vent is bright rufous-brown, lighter in tone than the upper parts, each feather having a very well-defined dark line down the shaft; but there is not the slightest appearance of transverse bars, spots, or broken patches of white on the breast or belly; the throat is rather lighter than the rest, and here the centre dark line is of course more distinct and defined. The colour of the iris is reddish brown, giving indications of becoming yellow at a more mature age. Legs bright yellow. The three distinct straight bars, at intervals of about three inches, across the under surface of the tail seems to be another charac- ter peculiar to this species, which neither the common buzzard nor the rough-legged buzzard possess. These bars, being very well developed in the present specimen, as well as in those of a maturer age that I have examined, may be regarded as a perma- nent character of the genus Pernis. This bird was observed for some days in the valley, and was marked at last to the top of a tree adjoining an orchard. From this spot the bird made a sudden stoop at a cat on a bank. The conflict continued vigorously for a few minutes, the honey buzzard attacking the cat in the style of a fighting cock, and the cat parrying off each assault with her paws, and with a tail and crest looking as formidable as in any caterwauling encounter on a house-top. — Edward Hearle Rodd; Penzance, October 20, 1856. Occurrence of the Rose-coloured Pastor and Hoopoe in Essex.—The rose-coloured pastor was shot at Street-hall, in Essex, about the middle of the month of September last. It is avery fine specinen, with a good crest, and the beautiful rose-colour on the back, &c., very pure. The hoopoe was shot at Ashdon, near Saffron Walden, about a week afterwards. Both these birds are at Mr. Travis’s bird-stuffer, Saffron 5320 Birds. Walden, Essex. I beg also to notice a very singular variety of the skylark’s eggs, which I have in my collection. They are quite white, with the exception of one or two dots and streaks of a light brown colour. A skylark’s nest was found here last spring, containing eggs, the ground-colour of which was much lighter than usual. This nest was taken. I have no doubt that the same bird made another nest, and laid these eggs, as they were found near the same place as the former, and not long afterwards.— Edward J. Tuck ; Wallington, near Baldock, Herts, October 11, 1856. Occurrence of the Rose-coloured Pastor, Merlin and Peregrine in Norfolk.—A fine old male of the rose pastor, with its rich salmon tinge and black crest, was killed on the 9th inst. at Hunstanton; and a very beautiful specimen of the adult merlin, a species of hawk extremely rare in this district, was obtained in the county about the same time. A female peregrine, in immature plumage, was shot in a wood at Sprowston, near Norwich, this week. A pair had been seen in the neighbourhood for some days pre- viously ; but the other, probably the male bird, has not yet been procured.—H. Ste- venson ; Norwich, October 15, 1856. Scarcity of the Song Thrush.—Mr. Edward, of Banff, referring to the great and almost total destruction of the song thrush in the North, remarks (Zool. 5261), “‘ The other winter it suffered severely here, scarcely one being left.” Although perhaps a somewhat less enthusiastic admirer of the mavis than Mr. Edward, who gives it the preference to and ranks it above the blackcap, I can fully sympathize with him in de- ploring the loss of so many of our sweetest native songsters; and can, moreover, in corroboration of his statement of what has occurred in the North, give a few extracts from my note-book of what fell under my own observation in the South during the severe winter alluded to:—‘“ February 2, 1855.—The frost still continues with una- bated severity, and, the ground being covered with snow, all the smaller kinds of birds have in consequence suffered much, not excepting the house sparrow, one of the hardiest of the feathered tribe. As for the thrushes, they look pinched beyond measure, and seem to be in a complete state of collapse. One solitary, wretched, half-starved bird I observed most perseveringly employed in endeavouring to break a snail-shell, raising it on high and then striking it on the ground, or rather trying to do so, for its strokes proved powerless and futile, the intensity of the cold having not only quite paralyzed its strength, but rendered it helpless and half demented; for so tenacious was it of its fancied prize (for it proved to be nothing more nor less than an empty shell) that in slowly flitting away it would not forsake or relinquish the worthless object, to which it clung as if its existence was staked, or depended on the breaking of this shell.” * February 15.—The weather is more intensely severe than ever; and should the snow-storm continue it is much to be feared that most of the thrushes, as well as robins, must inevitably perish of cold or starvation, to say nothing of the numbers that are falling daily under the murderous fire of the men and boys (now thrown out of work, who pursue and persecute them morning, nvon and night.” “ March 27, —The weather is still so cold, with occasional frosts at night, that, although the sea- son is so far advanced, I do not believe many birds have yet commenced the construc- tion of their nests; for at four o'clock this afternoon I observed a number of black- birds and a few thrushes feeding together in a meadow in this neighbourhood, a proof of the extreme severity of the spring, as in ordinary seasons they would not only have been paired, but busy with their nests, or even sitting on their eggs or rearing their broods; for I have heard of a thrush’s nest being found at Bonchurch, with four eggs in, as early as the 28th of February ; but this year, with the exception of ivy, they Birds. 5321 would find little or no foliage to screen their nests from observation or shelter them from the storm.”—Henry W. Hadfield; Ventnor, Isle of Wight, October 4, 1856. A young Spoonbill shot at Shoreham.—A young male specimen of the white spoonbill (Platalea Leucorodia) was shot at Shoreham, Sussex, near the railway bridge over the/Adur, on the 5th of last September. It appears to be a very young bird, the length of the bill being only 44 inches, while that of an adult bird is 8} inches. The occipital feathers are very short, there being no crest; and there are none of the buff markings about the breast and neck which are seen in the adult bird; there is also no convolution of the trachea within the keel of the sternum. Its gizzard was filled with shrimps and the roots of marine plants.— Arthur Woodroffe; 125, Eastern Road, Brighton, October 13, 1856. Pelican found dead on the Coast of Durham.—On the 25th of last month a lady picked up, among some rocks on the shore at Castle Eden, a wutilated adult speci- men of this bird, in full plumage. The carcase, which is now in my possession, had been much eaten, and had apparently been tossing about for about a fortnight, and the head was altogether destroyed; but enough remained to show it had been a very fine bird. Whether it had wandered alone and perished at sea, or made its escape from some passing vessel, T leave to others to conjecture. Iam not aware that this bird has ever been taken in any part of Northern Europe.—H. B. Tristram; Castle Eden, Durham, September 10, 1856. Occurrence of the Eared Grebe in Flintshire—On the 27th of September a young male of this bird was shot at Bagillt, in Flintshire. I observed it swimming in a pool by the side of the railway, during a perfect hurricane of wind and rain. It did not attempt to fly away even when two trains passed it, having probably had a rough night of it. Not having a gun at hand, I sent a man after it who had, and he very soon brought it to me. It has a decided, though slight, upward curve in the beak which marks it as the above species. I should mention that the railway here runs along the shore of the estuary of the Dee.—Alfred O. Walker ; Chester, October 22, 1856. Do Cuckoos take the Eggs of other Birds as Food ? By Wm. H. Sianey, Esq. THE great quantity of these welcome birds which frequent this place and breed here during the early summer months, and the obser- vations I have been enabled to make on them, induce me to submit the above question for the consideration of your numerous corre- spondents, with the following remarks on the subject. In many counties it is become almost proverbial that cuckoos suck and destroy other birds’ eggs, although there appears no good reason for imputing this fault to the pretty cuckoo, at least as far as I have had opportunities of observing their habits. In Lancashire this pro- pensity is firmly believed in by the lower class almost universally; XIV. 3E 5322 Birds. and the motive adduced is, that it is to strengthen and clear the voice of the cuckoo, and enable it to sing the better; but this effect may be fairly doubted, as it is seldom that even our own most talented songstresses resort to this means of adding to the sweetness of their song, though lozenges and other stronger stimulants may be some- times adopted by them for that purpose. That cuckoos do cause the destruction of the eggs of many of the smaller birds there can be no doubt, but not for the above-mentioned reason, nor as food. When the cuckoo’s egg is found together with other eggs, it is a well-known fact that no sooner is the former hatched than the young cuckoo takes upon itself, as its first labour in life, to throw overboard those unhatched eggs of the poor bird which brought it into existence; and if there chance to be any foster-brothers or sisters hatched at the same time out they must go, and are ejected likewise, as soon as the young cuckoo is strong enough to do so, in order that the young intruder may have the whole nest to itself, and the incessant attention of the two old birds to feed and provide for it alone, a labour and difficulty they are scarcely able to accomplish ; and their own young ones, or the eggs, are to be found dead or broken beneath the nest, till removed by ver- min or some other means. Thus may the cuckoo be considered as a destroyer of other birds’ eggs. But is there any authenticated account of cuckoos sucking or swallowing the eggs? Numbers of wood pigeons’ broken eggs and egg-shells are constantly to be found on the ground in places much frequented by those birds, and, being quite white, are easily seen. Gamekeepers and others often impute this to the poor cuckoo having sucked them ; but those eggs, in most instances, upon being examined, will be found to have been duly hatched, or by accident to have been blown or to have fallen out of the very shallow and inartificial nest of the wood pigeon, consisting of only a few twigs or bits of stick placed together, and with very lit- tle or no depth to it. It is also well known that the cuckoo in gene- ral, except the young ones of the season, have left this country by the beginning of July, and the others a short time later; and that the old birds arrive here about the middle of April, according to the na- ture of the weather and season. Now, before and after these two periods the eggs of the wood pigeon, which breeds quite early in the spring, as well as in the summer and autumn months, are con- stantly found emptied of their contents, and laying near the nest, at a time when there are no cuckoos left to molest them; and when a wood pigeon’s or other bird’s nest has been robbed it is ten times Birds. 5323 out of twelve a jackdaw, magpie, crow, or jay that has done it, who are ever on the look-out for that purpose, and are most dexterous at such work, and may easily be caught in traps baited with an egg. Another reason for supposing cuckoos are not addicted to plunder- ing other birds’ nests of their eggs for food, though so often accused of it, is that eggs unquestionably are not their natural food, but grubs and insects, especially caterpillars and winged beetles; neither are house-ducks’ and the larger kinds of birds’ nests often supposed to be attacked by cuckoos. That the cuckoo always lays its egg in an insect-feeding bird’s-nest, in order that the young one may obtain its proper and natural kind of food, is a strong reason in support of . the old ones not changing their diet in after days. It is true that Shakespeare mentions, % * * * * As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo’s bird, Useth the sparrow : did oppress our nest.” And Dr. Johnson, in a note to the above quotation, states that “the cuckoo’s chicken, who, being hatched and fed by the sparrow in whose nest the cuckoo’s egg was laid, grows in time able to devour its nurse.” Now, the sparrow can hardly be called an exclusively insect-feeding bird, if, as is probable, the common house sparrow is alluded to by Shakespeare, but in whose nest a cuekoo’s egg has, I believe, never yet been discovered, though it is found often in that of the hedgesparrow, which is quite a different kind of bird from the other; and although, in an elaborate article in a recently published magazine, much pains are taken to prove Shakespeare was a good naturalist, or rather a correct observer of nature, as to birds, insects, &c., and their habits, it is probable that neither he nor his annotator was either of them aware of the instinct above alluded to, of the cuckoo’s selection of the nest of an insect-feeding bird in which to place its egg, with a view to the proper food being provided for its deserted young one, which is left to strangers to its nature to bring up, but whose food is similar to that of the cuckoo’s, and known to the latter to be so. Shakespeare did not know this when alluding to the spar- row, any more than did Mr. Tennyson of the habits of the swallow, when he mentions “ swallows hunting the bee,” which, as Mr. Bro- derip remarks, they never do. Why, then, should so very different a kind of sustenance as other birds’ eggs, and with so much difficulty in general to be procured, be selected by cuckoos, when their more na- tural food can be easily obtained by them? and because eggs and . §324 Mollusks, &c. egg-shells are more frequently found beneath the nests of other birds in those months when the cuckoo is sojourning with us, that is no good reason for charging it so universally, as is the case, with their destruction; for, that being the period when all kinds of birds are laying, of course many more accidents to these occur, and a much more constant destruction of eggs takes place by other means. I cannot, therefore, think there are any just grounds for accusing the poor cuckoo of this felonious propensity, either for the purpose of clearing its voice or as a matter of food; and I should much wish to be able by these suggestions to relieve so pretty and universally welcomed a bird from this often-repeated, and, as I believe, un- founded and opprobrious accusation, unless any: of the numerous con- tributors to the ‘ Zoologist’ can bring satisfactory evidence to prove the contrary is really the fact. Wo. H. SLANEY. Hatton Hall, October 14, 1856. Rissoa lactea in Jersey and the Isle of Herm.—Rissoa lactea owed its insertion in the ‘ British Mollusca’ to the discovery by Mr. Hanley of four living examples, “ under large masses of stone at St. Helier’s, Jersey, taken by wading into pools at very low water.” Any conchologist visiting Jersey will meet with the species dead, but in good condition, by examining carefully the sides of the raised bank which connects the castle with the shore, but which is covered at high water. The Rissoa, however, would seem not to be confined to Jersey, as I have lately taken a single specimen from among Herm shell-sand.—Alfred Merle Norman; Kibworth, September 3, 1856. Limax Gagates in Scotland and Guernsey.—1 have already recorded the occurrence of this recently distinguished British slug in two or three localities (Zool. 4048, 4284), I have now the pleasure of stating that I have found it in Scotland and the Channel Isles; I believe for the first time in both places. In the summer of 1854 I took a specimen in the grounds of the College, Isle of Cumbrae, in the Clyde; and last month [ met with a specimen in the parish of St. Martin’s, Guernsey. I may mention that all the specimens which have occurred to me have been taken on grass or hedge-banks after very heavy storms of rain.—Jd. . Octopus vulgaris at Herm.—This fine cuttle-fish is by no means rare at Herm, where it is taken under stones and among weeds at low water.—ld. Eurylepta vittata at Herm.—I met with this remarkable Planarian in some numbers, on the under side of the granite rocks, at the Galeomma ground, in the Isle of Herm. If it were not for the absence of the branchial plumes, it reminds us not a little of a Nudibranch Molluscan.—Alfred Merle Norman ; Kibworth, September 3, 1856. Insects. | 5325 Duration of Pupa-state in Acherontia Atropos.—In the last ‘ Intelligencer’ infor- mation is requested relative to the pupa-state of Acherontia Atropos. About eight years ago a friend brought me a full-grown larva, which was dug up in a garden near the barracks, and was so large that I was afraid to put it with any other insects, so 1 placed it in an old cigar-box, filled with leaf-mould and covered with a piece of net: it went down and then came up to the top of the mould, and then went down a second time. It went down on the 28th of July, and came out on the 17th of September, which was fifty-two days. TI had the good fortune to be standing by when it came out, or it might have got damaged if puss had got at it, she having as great a fancy for catching moths as her master, though for quite a different purpose. Some time after it had changed to the pupa I was curious enough to examine its whereabouts : I cleared the mould away until I came to a portion which was hard and of an oval shape, of about 3} inches in length by 2} in width: I did not like to continne the. examination any longer, so I covered it up, but after it came out I examined it, and found it composed of mould kneaded into a sort of paste, which the larva had mixed with gum; I could find very little silk mixed up with it, but I could see it was proof against moisture. I had another larva brought me the same season, but it was too late, and it died in the winter after going into pupa: I think they do not stand the winter well; the shell of the pupa is so thin that the least puncture will prove fatal. I had a very fine pupa brought to me by one of our men, who was poking with a stick at the side of an old gravel-pit: it changed in the sand where the water came quite close to it, but it either got a squeeze, or was otherwise injured with the stick, for it died in two or three days.—James M‘Laren ; Worley Barracks, October 20, 1856. Larva of Stauropus Fagi on the South Downs of Sussex.—Toward the end of last September, my friend and neighbour Dr. Smith, when walking up the village, observed on the path a caterpillar, the peculiar aspect of which attracting his attention, he carried it home, and, on referring to Kuight’s ‘ Pictorial Museum of Animated Nature,’ he recognised it from the figure of Stauropus Fagi. The creature, on being supplied with some beech-leaves, immediately enclosed itself between a couple of them, apparently being full-fed, and having been, when found, in the act of travelling from the place where it had been produced in search of a fit spot for its next trans- formation. I doubt whether there is more than one beech tree in the garden where this specimen was prebably bred; there may be others in the village, but they cannot be numerous, and all, without an exception, must be very small. The nearest plauta- tion wherein other beech trees may exist must be distant more than half a mile ina direct line, and there is a much longer interval between any situation where a few such trees may stand and any extensive collection of them, such as the park and planted woods of the Earl of Chichester, at Stanmer. As the insect is stated to be rare in England, its occurrence in such a very unlikely district as this part of the South Downs of Sussex may be interesting to entomologists. Since Dr. Smith possesses no information how the chrysalis should be treated to ensure its preservation in life,—at what period it may be expected to change, and what is the figure of the imago,—he will be thankful for intelligence on those particulars in a future number of the ‘ Zoologist.—Arihur Hussey ; Rottingdean, October 21, 1856. [The pupe of Stauropus Fagi do not require any particular care: the larve usually spin two or three leaves together, and, when found in this state, Mr. Doubleday informs me he usually cuts off the nest thus formed, and pins it up to the side of the breeding-cage. In the woods these nests, in all probability, fall with the failing 5326 Notices of New Books. leaves, and remain throughout the winter.on the ground: this will account for the imago being found adhering to the trunks of trees.— Edward Newman.] Capture of Phlogophora empyrea, Agrotis saucia and Phibalapteryx gemmaria at Brighton.—Please to record in your November number the capture of Phlogophora empyrea, which was taken a few days since not far from Brighton. Mr. Howse, of St. James Street, and myself, also took at the same time three specimens of Agrotis saucia—another rare insect in this locality ; also the same evening, by Mr. Howse, one male specimen of Phibalapteryx gemmaria, which is in Mr, A. F. Sheppard’s collection. Although so rare now, I have no doubt that Phlogophora empyrea will turn up more plentiful, and I would caution tyros in Entomology not to give too long prices for an insect that will most likely be common after another year or two, this being the second locality where it has been taken, and many miles apart— TZ. Thorn- croft; 87, North Lane, Brighton, October 14, 1856. Capture of Phlogophora empyrea near Lewes, §c.—I have received accounts of the capture of no less than thirty-six other specimens of Phlogophora empyrea near Lewes, and also near Shoreham: all were taken by sugaring in marshy ground. Four beautiful specimens of Agrotis saucia have been taken in the same localities, and by the same means.— Edward Newman. Mr. Gregson’s Pacilochroma stabilana a variety of P. sordidana,—Mr. Stephens’ P. stabilana equals P. Solandriana.—At p. 124 of the ‘ Entomologist’s Weekly Intel- ligencer,’ Mr. Gregson states of Pcecilochroma stabilana, Steph., “ This very variable species I am now breeding from the Myrica Gale.” I have just been shown some specimens received from Mr. Gregson of what he calls stabilana, and as they are merely ordinary varieties of P. sordidana I deem it only right to let this fact be known, as it seems an insult to the memory of our lamented friend to state that he had named a “very variable” insect stabilana. I may add that the insects named stabilana by Stephens, if not a distinct species, are very large plain specimens of Solandriana. -I think that entomologists ought to be a little more careful in making statements, especially when they are likely to reflect on those who are no longer living to refute them.— Edwin Shepherd ; 176, Fleet Street. Capture of Sphinctus serotinus of Gravenhoorst.—I had the good frigae to beat a single specimen of this, one of the very rarest of our Ichneumonide, out of an oak tree in Wickham Wood, about the middle of the present month. Mr. Smith, of the British Museum, has most obligingly furnished me with the name.—Zhomas Ingall ; 16, Park Road, Brixton, September 30, 1856. NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Nos. 103—106, dated July —October, 1856. Price of No. 104, 5s., of the others 2s. 6d. each. London: Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. The contents of No. 103 are as follow :— ‘Monograph of the Genus Catops. By Andrew Murray. ‘On a second New Species of Spherium from the Paddington Canal.” By Dr. J. KE. Gray, F.R.S., &c. Notices of New Books. 5327 ‘On the Habits of the Orang-Utan of Borneo.’ By A. R. Wallace. *Polyzoa collected by Mr. M‘Andrew on the Coasts of Norway and Finmark in 1856.’ _ By George Busk, F.R.S., F.L.S. ‘On the Evils of increasing Synonyms.’ By S. P. Woodward, F.G.S. ‘Observations on the External Characters and Internal Anatomy of a Bitentaculate Slug, found at the Island of Aneiteum, New Hebrides.’ By John Denis Macdonald, R.N. ~£On Vegetable Cell-formation.’ By Prof. Arthur Henfrey, F.R.S. ‘On the Method of Paleontology. By Thomas H. Huxley, F.R:S. Bibliographical Notices :—‘ The Ferns of Great Britain ;’ illustrated by J. E. Sowerby; the descriptions by C. Johnson. ‘ The Ferns of Great Britain and their Allies;? by Anne Pratt. ‘The Fern Allies;’ illustrated by J. E. Sowerby; descriptions by C. Johnson. ‘ British Poisonous Plants; by C. Johnson. Proceedings of Learned Societies :—Zoological ; Royal Institution of Great Britain; Botanical of Edinburgh. Miscellaneous:—Note on Edwardsia vestita, Forbes; by P. H. Gosse. On Cyclas lacustris, Drupurnaud; by J. Gwyn Jeffreys. Occurrence of Clausilia Mortilletiin Kent; by W. H. Benson. On the Siliceous Sporangial Sheath of the Diatomacee; by J. W. Griffith, M.D. Travels in Central America; by MM. Scherzer and Wagner. On the Non-existence of Polarizing Silica in the Organic Kingdoms; by Prof. J. W. Bailey. The contents of No. 104 are as follow :— ‘On the Development and Propagation of Sphzroplea annulina.’ By Dr. Ferdinand Cohn. [Extracted from the Monatsberight of the Berlin Academy for May, 1855. ] ‘New Terrestrial Shells from Ceylon, with a General List of the Species inhabiting that Island... By W. H. Benson, Esq. “ Notice of a curious Metamorphosis in a Polype-like Animal.’ By C. W. Peach. ‘ Brief Outline of the Anatomy of the Genus Atlas, Lesweur. By John Denis Macdonald, R.N. ‘On the Development of Arenicola piscatorum, with Remarks upon that of other Branchiferous Aunelides.’ By Dr. Max Schultze. [Ex- tracted from the Abhandl. der Naturforsch. Gesellsch. in Halle, vol. iv. | ‘Notes on the Fresh-water Infusoria of the Island of Bombay.’ No. 1. Organization. By H. J. Carter, Esq. ‘ Monograph of the Genus Catops (continued). By Andrew Murray. 5328 Notices of New Books. ‘On a new British Species of Skenea.’ By W. Webster, Esq. ‘ Description of a new Species of Dolphin, from the upper parts of the River Amazon.’ By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S., &c. Bibliographical Notices: —‘ Manual of Geology, Practical and Theoretical ;) by John Phillips, M.A., F.R.S., &c. ‘Tenby: a Sea- side Holiday ;’ by P. H. Gosse. ‘Manual of British Botany; con- taining the Flowering Plants and Ferns, arranged according to the Natural Orders;’ by Charles Cardale Babington, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c. (fourth edition). ‘Trees and their Nature; or the Bud and its Attributes ;’ by Alex. Harvey, A.M., M.D., &c. Proceedings of Societies :—Zoological; Botanical of Edinburgh. Miscellaneous :—On the probable Origin of the Organized Beings now living in the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries ; by M. Oswald Heer [extracted from the Bibliothéque Universelle de Geneve, April, 1856, p. 327]. Note on Clausilia plicatula and C. Mortilleti; by J. Gwyn Jeffreys, Esq., F.R.S. Note on Lernea branchialis; by W. P. Cocks. On two new Species of Birds from Santa Fé di Bogota; by Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., F.L.S. On the British Diastylide ; by C. Spence Bate, F.L.S. Note on Helix cantiana, Mont.; by W. Lonsdale, F.G.S. Description of a Fossil Cranium of the Musk Buffalo from the Gravel at Maidenhead, Berks; by Prof. Owen, F.R.S. A Last Word on Scissurella; by J. Gwyn Jeffreys, Esq. F.R.S. New Mode of cleaning Diatomaceous Deposits; by Prof. J. W. Bailey. New Method of disintegrating Masses of Fossil Diatomacee ; by Prof. J. W. Bailey. The contents of No. 105 are as under :— ‘Attempt at a Natural Arrangement of Birds. By Alfred R. Wallace, Esq. ‘Recent Discoveries in Vegetable Embryogeny.’ By Arthur Henfrey, Esq., F.R.S. ‘On Edwardsia carnea, a new British Zoophyte.’ By Philip H. Gosse, F.R.S. ‘Notes on the Fresh-water Infusoria of the Island of Bombay.’ No. 1. Organization. By H. J. Carter. ‘Descriptions of one Indian and nine Burmese Helices; and Notes on two Burmese Cyclostomacea.’ By W. H. Benson, Esq. ‘On an Abnormality in the Flowers of Salix Andersoniana.’ By John Lowe, Esq. ‘Cardium exiguum: its Siphons and its Byssus.’ By Philip H. Gosse, F.R.S. Notices of New Books. 5329 Bibliographical Notices:—‘ An Introduction to Entomology; or, Elements of the Natural History of Insects;’ by William Kirby, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., and William Spence, F.R.S., F.L.S. ‘ Ferny Combes; a Ramble after Ferns in the Glens and Valleys of Devon- shire ;’ by Charlotte Chanter. Proceedings of Societies :—Zoological. Miscellaneous :—On the Vitality of the Anguillule of Mildewed Wheat; by C. Davaine [extracted from the Comptes Rendus for July 21, 1856, p. 148]. Notice of a New Species of Nocturnal Lizard from Mexico; by Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. &c. On a new Genus and Species of Trochilide from Ecuador; by John Gould, F.R.S., &c. No. 106 contains :— ‘Monograph of the British Umbilicarie. By the Rev. W. A. Leighton, B.A., F.B.S.E. ‘On the Development of the Lampreys.’ By August Miiller. [Extracted from Miiller’s Archiv, 1856, No. IV. p. 323.] ‘Monograph of the Genus Catops. By Andrew Murray. ‘Contributions to the Anatomy of the Infusoria.’ By N. Lieber- kuhn. [Extracted from Miiller’s Archiv, January, 1856. ‘New British Arthoniz.’ By the Rev. W. A. Leighton, B.A., F.B.S.E. Proceedings of Societies: — Royal; Botanical of Edinburgh; Zoological. Miscellaneous :—Obituary Notice of William Yarrell. Amphioxus lanceolatus; by W. P. Cocks. Description of a newly-discovered Tanager of the Genus Buarremon; by Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., &e. The following extract from Mr. A, R. Wallace’s note ‘On the Habits of the Orang-Utan of Borneo,’ will be read with interest :— “Tt is a singular and most interesting sight to watch a mias making his way leisurely through the forest. He walks deliberately along the branches, in the semi-erect attitude which the great length of his arms and the shortness of his legs give him: choosing a place where the boughs of an adjacent tree intermingle, he seizes the smaller twigs, pulls them towards him, grasps them, together with those of the tree he is on, and thus, forming a kind of bridge, swings himself onward, and, seizing hold of a thick branch with his long arms, 1s in an instant walking along to the opposite side of the tree. He never jumps or springs, or even appears to hurry himself, and yet XIV. 3 °F 5330 Notices of New Books. moves as quickly as a man can run along the ground beneath. When pursued or attacked, his object is to get to the loftiest tree near; he- then climbs rapidly to the higher branches, breaking off quantities of the smaller boughs, apparently for the purpose of frightening his pur- suers. Temminck denies that the orang breaks the branches to throw down when pursued; but I have myself several times observed it. It is true he does not throw them até a person, but casts them down vertically, for it is evident that a bough cannot be thrown to any distance from the top of a lofty tree. In one ‘case, a female mias, on a durian tree, kept up for at least ten minutes a continuous shower of branches and of the heavy-spined fruits, as large as 32-pounders, which most effectually kept us clear of the tree she was on. She could be seen breaking them off and throwing them down with every appearance of rage, uttering at intervals a loud pumping grunt, and evidently meaning mischief. “ When a mias is once up a lofty tree, there is no danger of his get- ting away, as he will not descend to the lower branches, which he must do to pass to another tree. As soon as he feels himself badly wounded, he makes a nest, which, if he completes, is so secure that he can never fall from it. J lost two miases that way, both dying on their. nest, when I could not get any one to climb up or cut down the tree till next day, when putrefaction had commenced. They choose a hori- zontal forked branch, and breaking off all the branches in its neigh- bourhood, lay them across one another until a complete leafy bed is made, which quite hides them from below, and from which they will not move afterwards. Their tenacity of life is very great; from six to a dozen bullets in the body being required to kill them or make them fall. | “Every night the mias sleeps on a nest similar to that above described, but smaller, and generally placed on a small tree, not more than fifty-or sixty feet from the ground. The same animal appears seldom to use the same nest more than once or twice, and they are accordingly very abundant in places frequented by the mias. They feed all through the middle of the day, but seldom return to the same tree two days running. They seem not much alarmed at man, often staring down upon me for several minutes, and then moving away slowly to a short distance. After seeing one, I have often had to go a mile or more to fetch my gun, and, in almost every case, have found it on my return within a hundred yards of the place. I have never seen two adult animals together, but both males and females are somes times accompanied by half-grown young ones, or two or three of the Notices of New Books. 5331 latter go in company. ‘They very rarely descend to the ground,— probably only in search of water.”—p. 27. Mr. Wallace’s ‘Attempt at a Natural Arrangement of Birds’ is full of information and genuine out-of-doors observation, and had the author been unfettered by those chains on the intellect, the artificial methods in books, he would doubtless have succeeded in giving us a digested whole; as it is, he applies his natural arrangement only to the Passeres, and leaves all the rest in its pristine intelligibility. His views, wherever he faces the subject, are clear, masterly and correct: he makes three orders of the Passeres of Cuvier:—1, the true Pas- seres; 7.e. the shrikes, tanagers, finches, crows, larks, wagtails, warblers and sunbirds. 2, the birds which seize their prey on the wing, and use their feet for resting only, not for terrestrial or arboreal progression, as the goatsuckers, swallows, humming-birds, jacamars, bee-eaters, trogons, kingfishers and hornbills; and, lastly, the birds which use the wings only for purposes of locomotion, and not when taking food, which have grasping feet and strong legs, as the cuckoos, the woodpeckers, the parrots, the Coliidz, the touracous, the genus Opisthocomus, the buccos and the toucans. ‘The last group is indi- cated by Cuvier’s Grimpeurs, the preceding one by his Fissirostres ; but that great author’s exclusive dependence on the structure of beak and toes rendered both these divisions incomplete and unnatural. A far more intimate acquaintance than I possess with the Coliide and Opisthocomus is required before I can decide on the propriety of combining them with the Grimpeurs. ‘ Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society’ Parts II. and ILI., dated June and November, 1856. Price 3s. each. London: Longman & Co. The zoological papers in No. 2 are as follows :— ‘On the Natural History of the Glowworm (Lampyris noctiluca)? By the late George Newport, Esq., F.L.S. ‘On the Quantity of ‘Tannin in the Galls of Cynips Quercus-petioli.’ By Edward Hart Vinen, Esq., F.L.S. ‘ Note on Lepidosiren annectens of Owen. By Edward Newman, Ksq., F.L.S. ‘Description of a New Species of Paussus from Central Western Africa.’ By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c. ‘On the Influence of the Sexual Organ in Modifying External Structure. By William Yarrell, Ksq., V.P.L.S., &c. 5332 Notices of New Books. “Catalogue of the Homopterous Insects collected at Singapore and Malacca by Mr. A. R. Wallace, with Descriptions of New Species.’ By Francis Walker, Esq. F.L.S. [concluded in No. 3]. The zoological papers in No. 8 are as follows :— ‘On the Occurrence of Sepia biserialis in Cornwall.’ By Jonathan Couch, Esq., F.L.S. * Notice of the Borer, a Caterpillar very injurious to the Sugar Cane.’ By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c. “Notice of a Specimen of Insect Wax from China.’ By Daniel Hanbury, Esq., F.L.S., &c. : ‘Note on Insects producing Wax from Port Natal and China.’ By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S., &c. ‘ Catalogue of the Dipterous Insects collected at Sarawak, Borneo, by Mr. A. R. Wallace, with Descriptions of New Species.’ By Francis Walker, Esq., F.L.S., &c. “Note on a New Organ in Insects.’ By John Braxton Hicks, Esq., M.D. London, F.L.S., &c. On the first appearance of this Journal, I bore my humble testi- mony to its value and utility. So far from having receded from its original excellence, it seems to have improved. There are, however, one or two points open to criticism, and as honest criticism has wrought a wonderful change for the better in the numbering of the plates of another journal, [ may venture to hint it is susceptible of improvement here. Instead of the present obscure method, each plate should be legibly headed ZOOLOGY, Puiate I., or BOTANY, PriaTeE I., and the plates intended to illustrate a paper should appear simultaneously with that paper. The plan of compelling a non- subscriber to purchase two numbers of a journal in order to procure one paper is one of the most hackneyed, and at the same time one of the meanest tricks of scientific journalism. The Linnean Society must not descend to it. The instance to which I allude is the paper by Mr. Hicks, bearing a most inviting title: in order to make it intel- ligible this paper appears to have been liberally illustrated, and this illustration is absolutely requisite: a great number of references are made to a Plate V., but Plate V. is unpublished, and should the Society again revert to its long-interval mode of publication, the Fellows now living may hardly hope to obtain it. Netices of New Books. 5333 ‘The Natural History Review” No. XII., dated October, 1856. Price 3s. 6d. London: Williams and Norgate. Concomitant with the increase in price of this work there seems decrease in interest: all the “original communications” have ap- peared in the Dublin newspapers, and some of them, we think, had better not have been transferred to a scientific journal. One of the reviews must, however, be noticed as very excellent: it is of Mr. Walker’s ‘Insecta Britannica, Diptera, and is signed “H.L.” This review extends to thirty pages, and displays an erudition which is very rarely equalled: it is, in all respects, a valuable contribution to science. Where the reviewer finds an opportunity of praising he praises heartily and without reserve; where he sees errors or omissions he points them out with the greatest good feeling and fairness. The contents of this number are as under :— Revirws.— Popular Geography of Plants;’ by E. M.C.; edited by Charles Daubeny. ‘ Popular History of British Lichens;’ by W. Lauder Lindsay. ‘Insecta Britannica, Diptera;’ by Francis Walker. ‘Manual of British Butterflies and Moths ;’ by H.T. Stainton. ‘ Ferns of Great Britain ;’ by J. KE. Sowerby. ‘The Fern Allies ;’ a Supple- ment to the preceding. ‘British Poisonous Plants;’ by Charles Johnson. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.—Experiments on the effect of periodi- cally abstracting Eggs from the Nests of Birds, and Notes on the Change of Colour in Birds and on Edge-moulting; by R. J. Mont- gomery, Esq. [a paper concluded only]. Remarks on Moths which cause Destruction in Granaries; by James Haughton, Esq., Jun. On the Analysis of Spodumene and Killinite; by the Rev. 8. Hangh- ton, F.T.C.D. On Botrychium Lunaria, its most remarkable varieties ; by J. R. Kinahan, Esq., M.B. On the Occurrence of Gonepteryx Rhamni and Thecla Betule in Kerry; by W. Andrews, Esq. Dates and Localities of some rare British Bees; extract of a Letter from J.C. Dale, Esq., A.M., F.L.S. On a Disease attacking the Minnow ( Leuciscus phoxinus) ; by E. Percival Wright, Esq., A.B. On the Occurrence of Scizna umbrina in Cork Harbour; by R. Ball, Esq., LL.D. First Supplement to the Catalogue of Coleoptera found in the Neighbourhood of Dublin; by the Rev. A. R. Hogan, A.B. Notice of two Irish Dipterous Insects; by A. H. Haliday, A.M. On the Occurrence and Distribution of Anthrocera Minos in the West of 5334 Notices of New Books. Ireland; by E; Percival Wright, Esq., A.B. On Stepanomia contorta, an addition to the British Fauna, and on the Genus Agalma of Esch- scholtz; by A. G. Melville, M.D., Professor of Natural History in Queen’s College, Galway. Journal of the Dublin Geological Society. On the Lower Carboniferous Beds of the Peninsula of Hook County of Wexford; by the Rev. S. Haughton, M.A., Professor of Geology in the University of Dublin. The Igneous Rocks of the Berehaven District; by G. H. Kinahan, Esq. Geological Survey of Ireland. On the Probable Existerence of Fossils in the Limestone of Guldaff, County of Donegal; by Patrick Ganly. Observations on the Strue- ture of Strata; by Patrick Ganly. On the Trappean Rocks in the Neighbourhood of Killarney; by Frederick Foot. On the Geology of the Chinchas Islands, Peru, South America; by J. R. Kinahan, Ksq., M.B. Notices of Serials. ‘An Introduction to Entomology; or, Elements of the Natural History of Insects., comprising an Account of Noxious and Useful In- sects, &c. By Witiiam Kirpsy, M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S., Rector of Barham, and WILLIAM SPENCE, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S. Seventh Edition, with an Appendix relative to the Origin and Progress of the Work. 608 pp. post 8vo, price 5s. London: Long- man & Co. 1856. It was a graceful act on the part of the surviving author of the ‘Introduction to Entomology’ to give the world this cheap and port- able edition of a work which has ever stood at the head of intro- ductory works on Science, and which is indispensable to the student of Entomology. In whatever light we view the ‘ Introduction,’ its utility and value are equally apparent. To the tyro, yet on the very threshold of the study, it conveys sound instruction in the most simple and enticing form; he is led on irresistibly, and is compelled, as it were, unconsciously to imbibe the soundest instruction. To the more advanced student it is equally serviceable, for it collects and metho- dizes all existing information on every branch of the subject. It should have been mentioned, perhaps I have overlooked such men- tion, that this reprint extends only to the first and second volumes of the original work ; the third and fourth have been most wisely omitted. Whatever opinions may be entertained as to the intrinsic merit of the Notices of New Books. 5335 omitted volumes, it is certain they never became popular, and always acted as a kind of drag on those which preceded them. This reprint is one of those works on which criticism would be altogether out of place; the world has long since passed a verdict in its favour, and its reappearance in this cheap yet substantial form is the greatest boon that Entomology has ever received at the hands of an author. Iam credibly informed that Mr. Spence has caused this volume to be issued at a cost which renders profit impossible; and which, therefore, as a matter of course,‘incurs the risk of a heavy loss. Let no naturalist forget that by extending the sale this risk is diminished; and that it is a positive duty to make the attempt, to relieve from all loss one who has acted thus nobly in the cause of Science. ‘A Natural History of the Animal Kingdom, being a Systematic and Popular Description of the Habits, Structure and Classi- fication of Animals’ By W. 8. Dattas, F.L.8S. 8vo, 820 pp. letter-press; numerous woodcuts; price 8s. 6d. London: Houlston and Stoneman. 1856. The publication of the ‘Régne Animal,’ and its translation into all modern languages, have made it a comparatively easy task to compile Natural Histories of the Animal Kingdom. The ‘ Régne Animal’ is to the zoologist what the Testament is to the Christian. As all Christian sects merge in the one general faith, so all teaching of Zoology emanates from the one great book. It matters not that often, as in the present instance and the prior publication of Van Hoeven, the work is turned end for end; it matters not that, as in both instances, more recent observations are skilfully and judiciously intro- duced; still all our Zoology is Cuvierianism, and ever must remain so, while structure maintains its present position as the one sole basis of classification: and the reason for this is obvious: Cuvier not only carried his knowledge of structure far beyond any other naturalist, living or dead, but methodized that knowledge with an almost super- human skill and exactitude. It yet remains to be seen whether struc- ture is the true basis of classification; whether physiological will succumb always, as now, to physical differences; whether the radiate structure of a starfish will take precedence of those physiological con- ditions which necessitate that radition; whether the form or presence 5336 Notices of New Books. of a fin will, as a diagnostic character, supersede the great faculty of swimming for which that fin is provided; whether the form of a_ maxilla so similar in a grasshopper and a beetle, will be regarded as more worthy of note than those differences of metamorphosis which have been the wonder of the unlearned and the admiration of sages in all ages of the world. Mr. Dallas has evidently read up for his task with care and assi- duity, and there is abundant evidence of much book knowledge throughout the volume. There is nothing, however, that displays a practical acquaintance with the subject, except in that portion of the volume devoted to insects, and here Mr. Dallas’s knowledge of the things themselves becomes more manifest; but unfortunately he has not the knack of methodizing that knowledge so as to make it easy and agreeable to the student; take, for instance, his general arrangement of Articulate animals: here it is— Subdivision 1. Vermes. Class 1. Platyelmia [Entozoa]. Order 1. Cestoidea. Order 2. Trematoda. Order 3. Planarida. Class 2. Nematelmia. Order 1. Acanthocephala. Order 2. Gordiacea. Order 3. Nematoidea. Class 3. Annelida. Order 1. Suctoria [the leaches]. Order 2. Scolecina [earth-worms ]. Order 2 [3]. Tubicola. Order 4. Errantia. Class 4. Rotifera [Infusoria]. Order J. Sessilia. Order 2. Natantia. Subdivision 2. Arthropoda. Class 5, Crustacea. Subclass and Order 1. Cirrhopoda. Subclass 2. Entomostraca. Order 2. Parasita. Order 3. Copepoda. Order 4. Ostracoda. Order 5. Phyllopoda. Notices of New Books. 5337 Subdivision 3. Xyphosura. Order 1. Xyphosura. Subclass 4. Edriophthamata. Order Lemodipoda. Order Amphipoda. Order Isopoda. Subclass 5. Podophthalmata. Order Stomapoda. Order Decapoda. Suborder 1. Macrura. Suborder 2. Anomura. Suborder 3. Brachyura. Class 4. Arachnida. Subclass 1. Trachearia. Order 1. Podosomata. Order 2. Acarina or Monomerosomata. Order 3. Adelarthrosomata. Subclass 2. Pulmonaria. Order 4. Polymerosomata. Order 5. Dimerosomata. Class 7. Myriapoda. Order 1. Chilopoda. Order 2. Chilognatha. Class 8. Insecta. Subclass 1. Ametabola. Order 1. Anoplura. Order 2. Mallophoga. Order 8. Thysanura. Subclass 2. Hemimetobola. Order 4. Rhynchota [Hemiptera]. Suborder 1. Homoptera. Suborder 2. Heteroptera. Order 5. Physapoda [Genus Thrips]. Order 6. Orthoptera. Order 7. Neuroptera. Suborder 1. Dyctyotoptera [Neuroptera, Newman). Suborder 2. Planipennia Suborder 3. Trichoptera Subclass 3. Metabola. Order 8. Aphaniptera [Pulex]. XIV. 3G } [Stegoptera, Newman]. 5338 Notices of New Books. Order 9. Diptera. Suborder 1. Pupipara. Suborder 2. Brachycera. Suborder 3. Nemocera. Order 10. Lepidoptera. Suborder 1. Heterocera. Suborder 2. Rhopalocera. Order 11. Hymenoptera. Suborder 1. Securifera. Suborder 2. Petiolata [comprising all but the saw flies]. Order 12. Strepsiptera. Order 13. Coleoptera. Section 1. Trimera. Section 2. Tetramera. Section 3. Heteromera. Section 4. Pentamera. Were I to say that I could not agree to accept such an arrangement « of exosteate animals as this, I should simply announce that Mr. Dallas and I differ in our views of system, and of course the announcement of that difference neither depreciates Mr. Dallas’s nor enhances the value of my own; but this I may say, that supposing Mr. Dallas to be correct in his views,—supposing him to be philosophical in making such novel combinations and in introducing such uncouth names,— of this I am confident, that no “incipient” can master a system so fraught with difficulty, and that Entomology must remain, for fifty years at least, a sealed book to all but those who are deeply read,— profoundly instructed in the speculative philosophy of the German visionaries. Reviewing the system carefully, I find some points of accordance with my own published views; such is the reunion of the helmin- thoids; such is the juxtaposition of the Hemiptera, Orthoptera and Neuroptera, of the Diptera and Lepidoptera, of the Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. I am therefore in no way prejudiced against, but rather in favour of, the principles Mr. Dallas has avowed; but it seems to me that he has committed two capital errors: he has carried into the actiniate province laws which obtain only in the exosteate, and in methodizing his views he has rendered them cumbrous and difficult to understand. The work is full of illustrations, some of which are good, others very bad: in the coloured frontispiece the ostriches have scarlet Notices of New Books. 5339 necks, and the artist seems so self-satisfied with this novelty in Science that he has assigned three of these extraordinary necks to two bodies. Notwithstanding these drawbacks the book will be found highly instructive, and is published at a wonderfully low price: think of a shilling for a hundred closely-printed and profusely illustrated pages ! ‘A Manual of Marine Zoology for the British Isles’ By Put. Hewry Gossk, F.R.S. Part Il.; 12mo, 240 pp. letter-press, 339 woodcuts; price 7s. 6d. London: Van Voorst. 1856. The publication of the first part of this work elicited so many testi- monies to its usefulness as to satisfy the author that he had not erred in supposing that such a book was needed: he now introduces a second and final part, hoping it may be received with as much favour as its predecessor, and of this, | think, there is little doubt. By a most singular coincidence the number of figures in this volume (three hundred and thirty-nine) is exactly the same as in the former, and, as each genus is illustrated, we see that the actiniate and exosteate forms found in the sea are equal in number to the anosteate and endosteate. Of the three hundred and thirty-nine figures two hundred and thirty- two are original, one hundred being drawn from living, or, in the case of fishes, from fresh specimens, and one hundred and thirty-two from specimens preserved either dry or in spirit: a list at the end of the volume shows the authorities from which the author has copied the remaining one hundred and seven. A supplement to the first volume is added, and in this the author amends the errors and deficiencies which, in my former notice (Zool. 4885) I took the liberty of pointing out as existing in his account of marine insects. One feature in this book is strikingly new; the author appears to consider we have no sea-birds in Britain: he dismisses them with this brief note,—‘‘ Of the intervening classes, Amphibia, Reptilia and Aves, Reptilia is the only one which includes marine species, and of these none can properly be considered as British.”—Footnote to page 204. ‘This seems to me a great mistake; not only have we birds so emphatically marine that they never leave the sea or its pre- cipitous coasts, but they are birds of most interesting habits, and would have added a most valuable chapter to this agreeable and useful volume. 5340 Notices of New Books. Every British naturalist should supply himself with this work, for, notwithstanding the omission I have noticed above, it is an in- dispensable companion to the inquirer when fixing his residence, even for a week, on the coasts of our sea-girt island. ‘A Manual of the Sea-Anemones commonly found on the English Coast.’ By the Rev. GEorGE TuGWELL. Royal 12mo, 123 pp. letterpress; seven plates, printed in colours; price 7s. 6d. London: Van Voorst. 1856. “Let me premise, by way of introduction, that the ensuing pages Jay no claim to the character of a scientific treatise on the subject of Marine Zoology, nor are they a monograph of the genus indicated by the title-page.” So says the author, but he only partially carries out ~ this assertion; he does claim for the book a scientific character, as many of the descriptions will show; take this, for instance, from p10 3—— “‘ HypRAFORMS.—Polyps single and associated ; stomach without a distinct wall; reproduction external; tentacles variable in number. AsTrERoIDS.—Polyps associated, supported in a fleshy mass or poly- pidom; stomach with distinct walls; tentacles in definite number 6—8; reproduction internal. HE&LIANTHoIDs.—Polyps single or con- nected only by a creeping stem, free or attached; soft or encrusted with lime; stomach free; number of tentacles indefinite; repro- duction internal.” Now, allowing our faith to be implicit in the author’s knowledge, shall not we, the uninitiated, stumble at the threshold? What does the paradox “single and associated” mean? Immediately afterwards we find that Asteroids have more than one wall to their stomachs, although Hydraforms have none; and in Helianthoids it appears of no consequence whether the stomachs are walled or not, but we are told they are “free.” The reader will recollect the author distinctly disclaims having attempted “a scientific treatise.” “ But,” inquires our reader, “is it all in this style? — surely Mr. Tugwell has some- thing more intelligible than this. I really don’t know whether my Netices of New Books. 5341 own stomach has two walls, one, or none, and I am confident I could never find out this character in a polype. I don’t even know whether it be ‘free, but I know it complains when I make too free with it.” Gentle reader! this exhibition of Science is exceptional: the author has widely different and more intelligible passages; here is one in the ‘Alton Locke’ style, but not in inverted commas, and therefore, we suppose not from the pen of Mr. Kingsley :— “Were you ever led, reader, by chance or by choice, into one of the plague-courts of London? Ido not speak of the Black Death of the fourteenth century, but of that pestilence which is hardly less fatal in our own times, the plague of neglected poverty,—starving on mouldy crusts and fiery gin,—choking in a poisoned atmosphere,— wallowing in the accumulated filth of countless years. Have you ever trodden those crowded, mouldering lanes and alleys, where open sewers—witches’ cauldrons of festering filth—seethe and welter by the open doors,—nay, roll their rank pollution through the very heart of the poor man’s home; where vermin, unnamed and unknown in civilized life, creep and writhe, and die and rot, on wall and floor and roof—a moving, mortifying crust of life and death—the mockery and bathos of the decorative art; where the sickly glare and the wearied smile of consumption ape the glance and the laughter of health; where the strong grow weak, and the weakly bow the head and die; where the innocence of the child is taught to curse and lie and steal; where the pride of manhood is quenched in the imbecile leer of the sot; where the fair honour of womanhood is sullied, like the snow which falls in those infernal regions; where God is as unknown as the pure air of His own heaven?” Though not very original, this is certainly very fine writing; and the author has introduced three consecutive pages of such writing as an introduction to the assertion that such places are not adapted to the welfare of sea-anemones; this, however, is some- what of a fallacy, for Apothecaries’ Hall, where resides Mr. Warington, the inventor, perfecter and maintainer of the aquarium, is situated in exactly such a locality as the brilliant imagination of a novelist might convert into the Pandemonium described above; and, strange to say, under the skilful management of Mr. Warington, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude never to be cancelled, sea-anemones and all the other “strange forms of the deeps” live and increase their kind, and enjoy the most exuberant health and spirits that can fall to the lot of 5342 Notices of New Books. mortal polyp: ergo, the grandiloquent passage, of which the mere peroration is cited above, is as inapplicable to the real state of the case as it is out of place in a work professing to teach Natural History. These errors of judgment, the introduction of the too abstruse and the too grand, are the more to be regretted, because the little book is conceived in a happy vein, and produced under every advantage of circumstance. The “table of contents” speaks for itself: here it-is— “Introduction. Chapter I. What isa Sea-Anemone? II. Where is it to be found? II]. What is its name? IV. How can I keep it alive? V. What will it do when I have got it? VI. Supplementary and Critical: On the Distinctions of Genera and Species. Ap- pendix I. Specimen of a Naturalist’s Diary. II. Habitats of Actinie. IiI. Glossary of Hard Words.” This is not only attractive in the letter, but is carried out in the spirit to a certain degree. There is only the want of a little “‘judgmatical” pruning and arrangement; the too learned, the too familiar, the too grand, should be carefully cut away, and much more of the descriptive and practical might be advantageously introduced. The appearance of the book is faultless, and the plates, excepting the frontispiece, are very beautiful. Even the exception of the frontis- piece may perhaps be unnecessary, by showing that it represents a species with which we, the reviewer, are unacquainted; but it un- fortunately bears the name of the most familiar and most elegant of all the tribe, Actinia Dianthus, and to this it has no resemblance: the name of Dianthus is, in all probability, generally applied in error; but, if so, the species bearing that name should also have been figured: what can be more exquisitely beautiful than the undulating outline of its fringe of tentacles in the Dianthus commonly so called? May the reviewer be allowed to recommend to the author a careful perusal of Kirby and Spence’s ‘ Introduction to Entomology ;’ by the time he has mastered that model of Introductions a second edition of the ‘ Manual’ will doubtless be required, and it may be greatly im- proved by some assimilation to that most learned, most unassuming, most fascinating volume. ‘The author of the ‘Manual’ has chosen a capital subject, and the best time for its publication; he has, moreover, the advantage of being assisted by the pencil of a well- Notices of New Books. 5343 skilled naturalist. The reviewer has only to add—lIst, that this beautiful book has been placed in his hands, under the impression that, having made the sea-anemone his especial study in one of those localities so brilliantly described by the author as “ one of the plague- - courts of London,” he would make a competent reviewer of ‘ A Manual of Sea-Anemones;’ and, 2ndly, that he sincerely wishes that both Mr. Tugwell and Mr. Kingsley would visit the scenes of their glowing descriptions, and lend their aid in the improvement of much that is really wrong, though not precisely as their brilliant imaginations paint it. What a contrast between their lives and ours ! PHILACTINIA. ‘Tenby: a Sea-side Holiday. By Puitie Henry Gosse, A.LS. 8vo, 400 pp. letterpress; 24 coloured plates. Price 2ls, London: Van Voorst. 1856. Mr. Gosse is beyond all comparison the most voluminous writer on Natural History among the present generation of men: his powers are as inexhaustible as his subject. Volume follows volume with a rapidity that is marvellous; and the last has always the rare merit of appearing the best. What, it will be asked, is there peculiar to Tenby that it should require a book to itself? How does it differ from other sea- sides described in the ‘ Devonshire Coast’ and the ‘Aquarium?’ To say truth, it is not the locality that differs; it is that this babbling of sea things is found to be pleasant, and doubtless profitable, and this shifting of the scene—this resemblance of novelty—is as necessary as the introduction of new plates and the compilation of new descrip- tions. The titles have little to do with the contents, and the books might just as well be intituled * One, Two and Three Tales of the Sea,” as bear the names by which they are now known: they are as like as three peas from the same pod. This Tenby volume contains “ a detailed record of a summer holiday spent at Tenby. Nearly every day’s occupation is set down just as it occurred; tide-pool explorations, cavern searchings, microscopic examinations, scenery huntings, road-side pryings,—here they all are, a faithful narrative of how the author was engaged for about six weeks at that pleasant little watering-place.” 5344 Notices of New Books. Like its predecessors ‘Tenby’ contains a vast amount of good. Natural-History information: possessed of infinitely more knowledge of these sea things than any other writer who has hitherto attempted to describe them, the author still steers clear of technicalities and pedantries; gifted with an easy flow of words and a remarkable elegance of expression, the author still avoids “ fine writing,” that bane of authorship. In the present volume, moreover, the introduction of doctrinal religion is avoided, while the presence of a religious feeling is still sufficiently prominent. Taken as a whole, this is the best of the three books, and we have only to regret having so long delayed to notice it. Even now our space is too limited to do it justice by making such quotations as must lead the reader to procure the book itself. Should, however, an opportunity occur, we shall hereafter transfer some few delightful passages from the pages of ‘Tenby’ to those of the ‘ Zoologist,’ and this not simply and purely from a desire to promote the sale of ‘Tenby,’ but because we feel certain that it would be instructive to most of our readers and delightful to all of them. Corrections of Errors.—I shall feel much obliged if you will correct my mistake (Zool. 5316) in giving “ Turdus migratorius” as the name of the robin redbreast, and substitute for it “Sylvia rubecula,” the former being the name of the American thrush (vulg. robin); also, in p. 5318, 18th line from bottom, for “ Forida Europa” read “Fonda Europa.’—Charles W. Watkins; Badby House, Daventry, November 1, 1856. Errata.—Page 5214, line 30, for “ forcibly hoped” read “ fondly hoped” » ——, » Sl, omitting “of” read “there glared still in view the malignant form ” » 0269, ,, 18, for ‘*marmots” read “ marmot” » 0271, ,, 22, for “unpractical” read “ unpractised ” » 0272, ,, 10, for “ Reuss,” read “ Reuss ;” » werd, ,, 21, for’ bird read “kina” » 5276, ,, 8, for “rang” read “ranz” —— 38, for “* Manerklette” read “ Mauerklette” ”? ? ”? > 9» ——>, » —, for “ Manerlaufer” read “ Mauerlaufer” » 9277, ,, 1, for “hawking” read “haunting” » ——, » 5, for“ Dranee” read “ Drance” », 0294, ,, 17. Laphygma. The first recorded British specimen was taken, I believe, by Mr. Maitland, and is noticed in an Addendum to Henry Doubleday’s ‘Synonymic List, at p. 27, under the name of Caradrina exigua.— E. N. Edward Newman, Printer, 9, Devonshire Street, Bishopsgate Street, London. ‘ * 1 1 * ‘ of i ‘ - , ba F | Ad! at - i ‘ ‘ ‘ i * t 7 "\ . Ae 7 » J) ‘ ¥ ) + . 4 - 4 . 7 . . ee ri PD a. 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